Two Dreams as One
by Kami28
Summary: Dreams bring them together and solving a mystery brings them to new heights. Mistakes will happen, but can often be fixed, but a mistake Katara and Zuko make is unalterable, horribly unalterable Zutara possible Taang
1. Dreams Prolonged

**Two Dreams as One**

Once in the dream of a night I stood  
Lone in the light of a magical wood,  
Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;  
And spirits of Truth were the birds that sang,  
And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed,  
And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed  
In that magical wood in the land of sleep.

Lone in the light of that magical grove,  
I felt the stars of the spirits of Love  
Gather and gleam round my delicate youth,  
And I heard the song of the spirits of Truth;  
To quench my longing I bent me low  
By the streams of the spirits of Peace that flow  
In that magical wood in the land of sleep.

Sarojini Naidu

The sun beamed as if to warm in her presence. The water swayed as she walked pass, as if to surrender to her every command. The red roses beautifully bloomed as if to welcome her with open arms. The grass parted as she walked through the garden as if to bow at her ankles. And there under the white, lily-carved gazebo was a bench.

She sauntered over to the white wooden bench and sat with flawless posture. She finger combed her long flowing hair with her long bony fingers, and let her wide bright eyes wonder. As her eyes glazed past the wooden floor there in the corner was a flower and it immediately caught her attention… it was as if it was calling out to her as a baby would call out to its mother. She reached down and picked up a lotus flower and held the object to her nose. The smell was sweet like honey, a smile graced her lips. She pushed her hair behind her round Carmel ear and wedged the lotus in between. She continued to brush her soft hair until she herd a giggle. She quickly turned around. She then stood up with faultless motion. She wondered beyond the gazebo. And headed to the bushes, there the giggling grew stronger it sounded like a little girl. The girl knelt beside the bushes in her white robe and grass stains grew around her knees. She placed her slender hand in between the branches, and the giggling stopped.

She reached her hand farther in, "Who's there?" she smiled, "I'm not going to hurt you." She was answered in silence.

A strong wind started to blow and the girl felt a chill run up and down her spine. She squinted past the wind. As the wind whistled it made a peculiar sound …as if it was talking to her. She just stayed on her knees unable to move and the wind blew stronger as if it were angry. The girl sat back onto her knees and heels of her feet and grabbed her arms in attempt to warm them. And slowly the grass began to crunch, and soon she recognized the crunches as footsteps. They neared her in slow anticipation, she squeezed her arms tighter. And the wind still blew harder. Clouds began to fill the sky, and the sun shined no more. The roses closed as the wind passed. The water became distilled despite the rapid winds. And still knelt by the bushes was a girl no more than 12, she had tan skin, and long charcoal hair, and round green eyes that were full of tears.

"Please go away…" she managed to say between sobs, as her eyes were glued to the ground in front of her. Tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall and only fueled by rain. In response the wind only grew stronger and it strength was increased still- knocking her to the ground with its force. A light drizzle began to descend to the Earth.

"Not again, no more I won't do it anymore," she closed her eyes. The footsteps stopped and with it the wind.

The girl slowly stood from her spot and gradually turned around. An ear piercing scream echoed through the garden, followed with a jumble of other incomprehensible words. A man pulled her charcoal hair and ran a knife up the side of her arm. And the chills and wind returned. His face was pale and his teeth were yellow and he grinned, "This is not of my doing, you have offended a higher authority." The man sheathed his knife in his boot and clutched her arm. The girl struggled to get away; she fell to the ground at his feet and cried, "I'll be good! I'm sorry!" The man kicked her away. The girl grasped her stomach where she had been hit.

"I told you this is not my decision!" The mans pale and clammy face warped into an emotion of utter and sheer disgust. The girl still lay in the grass panting and sobbing holding her stomach watching the horror unfold.

"You have disgraced _him_, girl!" The mans face distorted into a dragons face. His eyes were round and a dark gold and his face was red and his wide mouth showed his sharp vicious teeth. The girl trembled and the wind persisted.

The wind then started to swirl around the pair like a whirlpool in the ocean.

The water was no longer a glowing blue and rather a dirty brown. The grass withered away and died around her. The roses drooped and snapped when met with the fury of the wind. And the sun was still covered giving no light.

The little girl began to lift off of the ground while the dragon flew around her along with the motion of the wind.

"You should respect your elders, Zhy," The dragon moved closer to her, "You should respect me." He lunged for the girl.

Another ear piercing scream rang through the gardens.

* * *

Katara jolted awake. Beads of sweat trickled down her Carmel forehead. She quickly wiped them away. She was out of breath and panted heavily to regain it. 

That dream was exactly the same as yesterdays, last weeks, and last months. It was eerie; it bothered her that little girls fear bothered her. The same little girl with the black hair and green eyes saunters through a garden to meet her fate.

Katara crawled out of her sleeping bag and slowly and groggily stood up. She picked up a flint and restarted the distinguished fire. The fire cracked and popped on the wood and the glow emitted from the flame illuminated part of her face.

The sound of a fire awoke Aang. He rose from appa's saddle and wiped sleep out of his eyes. He looked around the camp and saw Katara staring off into space, sitting in front of the red fire. He ambled over to her. Once there he crouched to her level and tapped her shoulder.

Katara jumped in surprise, "Oh, Aang I didn't know you were up." She placed a hand on her small chest as if to slow her heart.

"This dream has been happening a long time." Aang replied not acknowledging her first statement.

The waterbender nodded in agreement, " I thought after a couple of days it would stop, but it doesn't, and each time I have the dream more is revealed to me…its almost like a vision."

"What's different this time?"

"A name…it was Zhy." Katara threw a stick off the ground into the fire.

Aangs grey eyes drifted in thought for a while. He fidgeted with his hands and scratched his bald head.

"Doesn't ring a bell, but we can visit a dream doctor or someone to help out a little."

Katara smiled at Aang, "That's a great idea," she then bended water onto the fire and crawled back to her sleeping bag.

Aang followed close behind and past her to step onto Appa. Katara watched his retreating back, "Thanks Aang, you're always there for me."

Aang was thankful it was dark because his cheeks grew so red that you could mistake his round cheeks for cherries. "You're welcome," was his bashful reply.

"You're like the little brother I never had," Katara snuggled deep into her blanket and closed her round blue eyes.

Aangs face fell and the blush dissipated, "yeah" he leisurely climbed to the saddle and laid his head down. I'm nothing more to her than a brother, he thought silently to himself.

* * *

The gang was rolling up sleeping bags and loading appa. They were heading to Chen Pow, an earth kingdom city close to their camp. The ride was an hour long, and was mostly silent. Sokka was sleeping as always and Toph was hanging over the side of appa, nauseated, Aang was manning the reins and Katara was stuck on thinking about her dreams. They landed onto a beach and traveled on foot into the city. 

They decided to split up, the gang was in desperate need of food while Katara still needed to have her dreams cleared up. They also needed straps to better hold down appa's saddle, the old ones were warping.

"Toph and I will head to town for food, and Sokka you can find straps for Appa," Aang looked at Katara and gestured to her, "Will you be okay finding the doctor by your self?"

"Yeah, there are a lot of signs leading to her." They all looked up and arrows and signs led to a small wooden house by a lake, and the signs were titled "Dream Interpreter"

"Oh, I'm surprised I didn't notice it…haha" Aang rubbed the back of his head and walked off, "We'll meet back up in an hour, the same place," he called over his shoulder, he then waved his tattooed hand and strutted off, Toph close behind him.

Sokka waved to Katara and strode away leaving Katara in the middle of a bustling intersection.

Katara dusted away invisible dirt on her robe and patted her hair back and strode down the south rode following the signs…which led her to a more secluded place, an secluded alley. The water bender felt a chill up her spine and grabbed her arms and rubbed them vigorously to warm her. A slight breeze blew. She followed a stone path that led to a rice sliding door. A tree bearing white flowers stood on the right side of the door. Every time the slightest breeze would blow small white flowers would fall to the ground which covered the ground like snow. The waterbender stepped forward and knocked on the maple paneling of the rice door. An old woman slid back the door.

She had red lipstick and white hair. It was pulled back into a bun and she had grey eyes. They had bags under them and her attire was a simple green kimono. She greeted her in.

"Have a seat," the old woman pointed her whole hand to a pillow in the corner. The hut had dark yellow walls and a tatami floor. The smell was strong and powerful of jasmine.

Katara did as she was instructed. "My name is Shale of the earth kingdom, welcome, how can I help you?"

Everything was said so fast it took Katara a little time to register it. "I keep having a dream, for the past month."

"I see, what is it about?" Shale rubbed her chin and sat on a pillow opposite of Katara.

"A girl, she is about 12," The old woman interrupted Katara, "Would you like some tea?" Shale stood and grabbed a steaming pot and poured it into two cups. She then handed one to Katara and she reluctantly took it.

"Continue, my dear," Shale took a long sip of her tea making an irritating slurp noise.

"Uh," The waterbender thought back to where she left off, "…she is in a beautiful garden with roses and glowing waters and lush grass, her hair is black and she had green eyes." Katara sipped some of her tea, " She goes to a bush…for some reason…and then everything dies and turns to a storm and a man is there his face distorts into a red dragon with gold eyes after a while. Then an ear piercing scream rings through the forest and then I wake up."

"Hmm, repetitive dreams can predict the future or retell the past. Or it can be further interpreted into a deeper meaning, but this dream is more like a vision."

The old woman stood and placed a red wooden pipe in the side of her mouth and puffed it. Katara coughed a little, "I almost forgot, I found out her name is Zhy, in my last dream."

The pipe in the Shale's mouth fell to the floor and she rushed to her bookshelf. She skimmed through books and picked a certain book from a corner. All the time her tea cup was flawlessly placed in her hand and a drop never spilled.

"You are the girl!" Shale grabbed Katara's shoulders lifting her off the pillow and kissing her forehead. Tea cup still in hand.

"You will free me from this torment!" She opened the book and dust flew around the room in a captivating motion.

Shale pointed to a sentence which started the tale of Zhy, "About 70 years ago, a firenation woman was unable to bear sons and daughters…" Shale started to cough and wheeze, "She lived in a palace and her prized possession was her garden…" the old woman began to breath heavily. Katara placed a hand on her back, "Are you alright?" Shale's cough continued and she began to speak into the sky, "My time is limited and so is yours, save Zhy before it is too late," Shale coughed profoundly again with one of her wrinkled hands placed on her chest as if to ease the pain.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Katara frantically tried to relieve her pain. Shale bent over and held her chest. She then weakly pointed to the book.

Katara removed her intense, watchful eye off of Shale and glanced at the book. Oddly the characters seemed to morph together and some were erased and when they finally stopped, written in big bold Chinese characters were the words, "Solve the mystery and you will find happiness," and on the next page in smaller letters it said, "with the help of a friend,"

A loud shattering noise rang through the small house and right behind it was a thud. Katara sharply turned around; Shale lay there on the floor motionless. The waterbender rushed to her side and knelt beside her.

"Shale," Katara hysterically shook her, she then placed two slender fingers to the old woman's creased neck. There was no pulse. Katara conjured up water and surrounded it around her pulsing hands and placed them on Shale's chest, unsure of what to heal. Her hands gradually began to glow but quickly turned to ordinary water again.

Katara began to breathe harder.

She repeated the process several times over, and again and again. Finally Katara sniffled and gave up, something that was foreign to her. She hesitantly took the book off the table even though the information was futile. She stepped outside still sniffling. And fortunately a young man with a white suit on and white headband was outside sweeping dirt onto the grass on the side of the house. He saw Katara approach him from out of the house, "What are you doing in there?"

"Getting answers, but I think the woman…. Shale…. in there… is….she is, dead," hot tears stained Katara's Carmel cheeks. She never experienced death so close to her.

"Are you crazy!?" the boy placed the broom on the side of the house, "No one has lived there for years maybe even decades!"

Katara held her head in confusion, "No, I swear, a- a woman was in there, her name was Shale…"

The boy looked bewildered and scratched his dusty brown hair.

Katara lunged for the boys arm, he flinched, Katara pulled him into the house, "She is in here…she is dead…on the floor!"

She pulled back the rice paper door with unnecessary force. Particles of dust rose blocking their view for a bit. Inside there was no smell of jasmine and it was empty…no pillows, no books, no shattered tea cups ….no dead woman.

Katara was utterly confused and her facial expression showed it, "No, I was in here and there were books…lots of books and tea…and the smell was sweet, like jasmine!"

The boy slightly tugged at Katara's blue robe, "It smells of mildew and I don't see any books." He placed a hand on the back of his head. He was nervous, he thought Katara was crazy!

"No, she was just here…wait," there in her hands was a burgundy book with gold framed pages, it was frail and raggedy, "this book, I grabbed this book on my way out!" Katara held the book in front of the boy's face. His face recoiled a bit.

"Um, are you sure you didn't bring that with you?" he slowly backed out the door.

"Yes!" Katara advanced towards him

He slowly backed away, "Do you need me to bring you to the doctor?" the boy stopped and grabbed her hand, "Follow me, I'll bring you to the best doctor in town."

The waterbender snatched her slender hand away and clutched it with her other, "I'm not crazy!"

"Okay, just follow me," the boy grabbed her hand again

She snatched her hand away and with it her whole figure, "Just leave me alone," Katara tucked the book under her arm and she began to run off.

"Wait, I can help you!" the boy slowly jogged after her with a hand in the air but stopped after she stepped on the stone path.

Hot tears began to fall down Katara's face. She knew what she saw, the house was so alive and in a matter of minutes it was so… dead. Maybe she was crazy, her dreams and now reality weren't making sense.

The stone path soon led to the secluded alley, she still ran, coughing and panting and crying. The book rubbed against her rib cage furiously, she guessed it would leave a minor rash, but she didn't care- she lost her sanity…she was crazy.

The alley led to the intersection, and she stood there crying, and panting, she looked around worriedly, looking for the gang. People shoved past her and she jolted from side to side with the force. There in the far distance Sokka pointed to her and looked to his right. The gang was soon behind him and his face was fuming. And still Katara didn't care, she was insane.

Sokka marched toward her, "We said to meet back up in a hour!" he further studied her face and she was crying. Aang stepped in, "Are you okay?" he placed a hand on her shoulder. She gently pushed it off.

"I got caught up that's all," Katara began to walk off and the gang followed, they figured it was best to leave what happened up there alone.

"Where did you get that book?" Katara had long stopped crying and she opened the book.

"From the woman, it will help me solve a mystery," her voice was soft and scratchy; "if there is one…" the last statement was incoherent to the others.

"Cool! A mystery!" Aang sped up to reach Katara.

"I have no idea, how to even get started, it just says," she quoted, "Solve the mystery and you will find happiness, and in smaller letters, "with the help of a friend,"

Aang squinted his eyes in thought. "Maybe I'm that friend," he grinned brim to brim.

Katara giggled, "Maybe,"

* * *

"Zuko, don't you think its time to get moving?" Iroh scratched his back on the side of the cave, which was serving as their temporary home. 

Zuko looked out at the sky, from the entrance of the cave. He leaned on the stone wall, resting himself.

"I said," Iroh got closer to Zuko and repeated himself, "Don't you think we should get moving?"

"Oh, uh," Zuko faced his uncle, his face showed he wasn't listening, "What did you say?" and apparently his words.

Iroh gave him a questioning look, "Where has you mind been lately?" Iroh jokingly knocked at Zuko's head.

Zuko raised his voice he didn't think it was so funny, "Where it's always been!" he retorted

"Alright," Iroh raised his hands and moved his hands in a 'patting' motion like he was giving in to submission, "I just want you to know if anything is troubling you nephew, you uncle is here." Iroh stepped further into the cave and began to pack. There was a few pieces of bread, and a tea pot.

"Well," Zuko opened his mouth, but quickly closed it, "Never mind." He helped his uncle pack there few belongings that the "blue spirit" seemed to be generous enough to give them.

"You can tell me anything, Zuko," Iroh smiled widely as he wrapped the bread in a burlap cloth.

Zuko eyes darted toward him, and he began to speak hesitantly, "I've been having the same dream night after night,"

"Hmm," Iroh stroked his beard, "About what?"

Zuko sat down and Iroh sat across from him, "A girl about 12, in a garden, it looks firenation. She hears giggles and looks in a bush and when she turns around a man morphs into a dragon in front of her. A freak wind starts to blow and it turns like a tornado. Then all of the garden dies…and I hear one last scream and I wake up, but for some reason last night he said her name, Zhy,"

"Zhy," Iroh wrinkled his nose, "Lets get moving," Zuko slowly got up, he thought his uncle would have more to say, a lot more to say.

* * *

Katara thought she was crazy, but as the day progressed and she told Aang and the gang her story, that thought became less and less until finally she was sure she was sane. 

"I saw a river back behind the trees, I'm going to rinse off, and practice some bending," Katara started off into the woods, "Coming, Toph?" The pair had become closer, after the palace and facials.

"Sure," Toph strutted toward Katara and they set off.

They passed through the trees and bushes until they heard the slight patter of the flowing river. They neared it. Katara stripped to her white underclothes. She stepped in, "C'mon Toph, it's so refreshing!" she called to Toph who just stood at the edge of the river.

"Me n' water don't mix well, I think I'll pass!" she called back to Katara who was now waving her arms and hands to begin to bend.

"Alright, you don't know what you missing." Katara's voice was high and she drawled out her words. The blue water glowed and shined in the setting sun. It was tempting, but Toph didn't think so.

"I think I do," Toph mumbled under her breath and played with three earth balls she conjured up from the ground.

* * *

Zuko and Iroh left the cave and in a few minutes were passing through woods. The trees swayed every time the wind would blow and whistle past. The green leafs frequently rocked to the ground like it was following a baby's lullaby. And soon they could here rushing water, perhaps a stream. However, unusually, Zuko could hear laughs and giggles of girls. 

He didn't notice Iroh was talking to him and quite frankly didn't care.

"Shh," Zuko placed a finger to his lips and stopped dead in his tracks.

"What is -"

"Shh!" Zuko peered over some bushes

* * *

"Katara!" Toph rushed to Katara careful not to fall in the water, "We have visitors," she whispered loudly. 

"Tell Aang and Sokka this is girls only." Katara still continued to wave her hands and wrist bending the water. She then turned her back to Toph.

"I would, but I don't think it's them!" she still tried to shush her voice

Katara quickly stepped onto the grass and grabbed for her clothes, "Fortunately, I'm by my element,"

The both stood into fighting position.

* * *

"It's the girl!" Zuko whispered to his uncle 

"Who?"

"The girl who travels with the avatar!" Zuko parted the bushes slightly and placed a foot through.

"Zuko…" Iroh's voice had a warning tone to it. Before Iroh could warn Zuko he was on the other side of the bushes in a fighting position. Iroh ran through the bushes and held his hands up in surrender.

"Please girls, we mean no harm." Toph lowered to an ordinary stance, Katara looked befuddled, "Toph, this is Zuko here, c'mon, fight!"

"And this is Iroh, an old…friend of mine." Toph slightly smiled Iroh did the same

"Zuko," Zuko glared at Katara as her lightening blue eyes did the same.

"Zuko," Iroh called again just in case he didn't hear him the first time which he was sure he did, Zuko reluctantly put his arms down and stood straight.

Katara looked around and noticed she was the only one in a fighting stance, she quickly stood down.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Toph asked, "I owe you, if it wasn't for you I probably wouldn't be here."

"Actually," Iroh smiled, "Oh no, I couldn't ask you…"

"Then don't ask her," Zuko neared his uncle

"Its okay, anything, except for the avatar," Toph and Iroh began to laugh hysterically; however, Zuko and Katara didn't think it was so funny.

"Well," when Iroh regained his breath he spoke, "A warm meal, and shelter for a few nights?"

"Uncle, I don't think that's such a good idea, let's just leave,"

"Well, Katara, what do you think?"

Zuko placed a hand on his forehead. He expected her to be rude and laugh at the idea, but she did the opposite.

"We brought some more supplies today, and actually I have a few questions to ask Iroh about this…Zhy girl anyway, I think she is firenation."

Zuko's attention was quickly caught, "What name did you say?"

"Zhy," Katara's blue eyes stared directly into his and excitement was conspicuous on her face, "Why? Do you know something about her?" Her eyes grew bright; maybe the girl Zhy was actually real unlike Shale.

Zuko's eyes were wide for a bit and quickly her turned his head to his uncle as if to look for answers, "Uh," Iroh shrugged, "No, I don't know her,"

Iroh was determined to help his nephew fit in if they were going to stay with the gang

And the best way to do that was to find a connection, "Why do you ask about this girl, Zhy?"

Katara looked down and she sat by the rivers edge and dipped her feet in the water, "She's been in this dream I've been having, for about a month now, and just last night I found out her name…I visited a dream interpreter but all I got was a book and the book doesn't say much either it's weird, all the pages are empty except two, and they say something about "solve the mystery and you'll find happiness and with the help of a friend" well, anyway its probably stupid anyway…so…"

Iroh looked to Zuko and nodded his head to the side as if to say, 'go over and figure this thing out.'

Zuko neared Katara and stood behind her and a little far back away, "I've, ah, had a dream too," Katara quickly looked, "With a girl in it?"

"Yeah, and she is in a firenation garden…then a man turns to a dragon and the wind starts blowing harder…then a scream wakes me up." Zuko stared off into the sky, the sun was red and it gave the sky an appearance of pink clouds and an orange sky.

Katara quickly stood up and faced him, "So I'm really not crazy…" she placed a hand over her mouth in disbelief.

"Miss Katara, you said the book says something about a friend. Do you know who the friend is?" Iroh came closer to them the grass heavily crunched under his heavy foot.

"Actually, no, its funny cause Aang thinks its him and I think its Sokka cause, I mean, he is my brother," Katara kept going on and on, not catching Iroh's hint, but Zuko, unfortunately, did.

Zuko started to back away careful not to fall in the water, "That's impossible, I can't be _her _friend…I don't even like her, she's my enemy."

"Oh yes Zuko, she is your enemy, yet she is letting eat a warm meal and have shelter…that is not your enemy." Iroh sounded more like he was scolding Zuko, which Zuko was not to fond of.

Katara was still talking and stopped when she heard the word enemy, "What are you talking about?" Iroh nudged at Zuko and Katara finally caught up

She laughed, and then pointed to Zuko "He can't be my friend…"

"Well, a friendship takes time, but think about it Miss Katara, isn't it odd that you and Zuko have been having the same dream repetitively?"

Katara looked off into the sky the moon was up and it was dark. The stars showed through the peaks of the trees and it was barely enough light to illuminate the river let alone their path to camp.

"We need to get back to camp, it's getting late," Katara motioned to the rest and they followed. They passed through the wilted trees and traveled behind Toph because unlike them Toph uses her sensitive touch to see not her white filmed eyes.

Iroh smiled in satisfaction, he knew she knew he was right. And Iroh was willing to mold the friendship if they weren't.

* * *

A/N: First chapter do you like it? It was kinda long but yea good review equal more chapters. And this story takes place before Crossroads of Destiny and after Tales of Ba Sing Se…please tell me if the characters seem OC kk And reviews that help me to improve my story are greatly appreciated…all review are reviewed oh and sorry Zuko doesn't have a big role in this chapter but there will be A LOT more Zuko in the future 


	2. Isolation

Life is filled with connections and separations. Our peace is effected by how we deal with our separations. The wise live preparing to have no regrets. 

-Faye Jones

Iroh and Zuko's greeting at camp was not so welcome. Aang had no problem with it he actually invited the idea, but Sokka's opinion was the opposite, and if you were to ask him about it he would just swear he hated all firenation people.

Katara eventually convinced him to calm down, or you could say she threatened him…she simply told him, "If you don't calm down, you won't have dinner."

"That's low Katara, threatening me with food," Sokka sucked his teeth and folded his skinny brown arms.

"Okay," Katara picked up Sokka's bowl of soup and began to dump it in the dirt, very, very slowly, to build tension, of course. Sokka stared at the food falling to the ground with his mouth wide open. Slobber slowly started to drizzle from the corners of his mouth. He'd rather Keep his mouth shut, than go hungry.

"Okay, just gimme that food!" Sokka pounced onto the ground and snatched the bowl out of Katara's skinny fingers and hurriedly began to sip the soup.

* * *

They sat around the campfire on small brown logs. If there was one thing Zuko came in handy for was making a fire, Katara had to admit. 

Once Katara had finished making the extra soup for their _guest_ she handed out the bowls. The soup was brown, with small chunks in it. It didn't look very good at all. She passed the bowl to Zuko and he eyeballed suspiciously with his amber eyes. Katara watched him and chuckled.

"I'm not going to poison you, if that's what you're wondering," Katara held out the bowl further and he hesitantly took it. He peered over at his uncle who was stuffing the warm soup down like he hadn't had a warm meal in months, which was partially true.

Zuko placed the rim of the bowl to his small pink lips. He slowly sipped it barely making a sound and as the soup slipped past his tongue and down his throat he was shocked that it wasn't bad, it was actually quite good. He pushed the bowl further in his mouth and sipped the warm vegetable soup. He gazed above the edge of his bowl which was now firmly in his mouth, Sokka was sitting across from Zuko and glared daggers at him with a look of disgust, Zuko had no problem returning the "favor". Zuko removed the bowl from in between his lips, and glared at Sokka with a slight scowl. The whole dinner was in cold silence. When they were all finished eating the warm soup Katara collected the red china bowls.

"Aang your turn for dishes," Katara shoved the dishes on his lap and averted her gaze to Iroh. He was sitting on a red wool blanket and it appeared he was in deep thought the way he stroked his white beard. She called his name to get his attention, he looked at her and she pointed to her sleeping bag, "I wanna show you the book…it looks firenation." Katara walked to her blue sleeping bag and dug inside. Under the fur of the trim was the burgundy and gold book. She skimmed through the pages until she reached the page of the writing. She wallowed back to Iroh rereading the characters written on the pages, they were the same. Katara thought that if the Chinese characters could change once they could change again.

"Here it is," Katara handed the book to Iroh and he silently read the words to himself. He stroked his beard.

He called to Zuko, "Come see this, nephew" Zuko sauntered over from the fire and knelt beside him with Katara standing over him. As his eyes looked at the characters they started to morph again, into a phrase.

Katara gasped in surprise, "The only other time I've seen that happen was when I looked at it…" Iroh chuckled, "I told you, Miss. Katara and my nephew are destined friends." Iroh called over to Toph who was lying on her sleeping bag she smiled in response. Sokka and Aang overheard.

Sokka was carving a piece of wood into a snail monkey with his boomerang and cut of his head when he heard that, and his ears literally started to let of white steamy puffs of smoke and his face turned into a crimson red. Aang felt something within himself, and it wasn't a feeling he was used to…he decided having Zuko around was going to take some getting used to.

Katara read the characters aloud, "In the night you will see, the deserted place you're meant to be, a long forgotten rode, on the Island of Chen Bo,"

"Great we're solving a riddle…what are we scavenger hunters?!" Zuko threw his hands up in frustration, and let them down so his head could rest on them.

"Actually the characters are pretty straight forward…it's not a riddle, its saying that during the night we need to find a place that is deserted on Chen Bo Island." Katara knelt down beside Zuko, "see its simple." She finished

"She is right nephew, I think that we should start tonight, the island can't be far. We are in Chen Pow, so it's along the Chen islands." Iroh commented. His fat fingers closed the book and handed it to Katara and stood up. Zuko stood up with him and the grass parted with his step.

"We need a map, uncle," Zuko opened their burlap sack and opened a brown and blue map. The brown represented land and the blue represented water.

Zuko pointed his thick pale finger at the island labeled Chen Pow, "We are here," he let his finger drop south to a smaller island that read Chen Bo. The words were almost completely scratched off. "Here is where we need to go it'll only be about a 5 minute ride on that white beast."

"It'll seem like 5 hours with firenation scum!" Sokka yelled angrily across the camp to Zuko and he stood up, to make himself seem like more of a threat.

"You know what, I'm not going to put up with your insolence! You will shut up or I'll make you shut up, you incompetent vagabond!"

"You can't make me shut up!" Sokka stuck his slender pink tongue between his lips as if to taunt Zuko with his childish behavior.

Zuko approached him and reached out his hands and grabbed for his throat. Katara quickly stood in front of Zuko. Iroh cleared his throat and Zuko glanced at him, Iroh was shaking his head and the firebender reluctantly backed down.

"And, Its appa," Katara corrected, Zuko gave her a questioning look, "The white beast is Appa," he nodded in acknowledgement. She then jogged over to Aang causing small dirt particles to fall onto the back of her shoe, "You up for the ride, Aang? It is your choice." Aang looked up at her, he was sitting with his back rested on a brown and green moss covered tree. Katara held out a hand to help him up.

"Sure, we can solve the mystery! And Iroh can start on my firebending lessons tomorrow!" Aangs face lit up like a light bulb.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, this is just the first step," Katara laughed at his eagerness

Aang reached up to grab her hand and she lifted him up.

* * *

Like Zuko estimated it only took 5minutes. There was a small dirt path with blue and red stones placed on it. Katara and Zuko took lead the path was small and the trees grew up and over branching together with opposite trees making a makeshift canopy. It blocked out the moon light. The road was pitch dark. Zuko snapped his finger and blew the fire at his fingertips to give it fuel. 

"I guess this is the road…" Aang looked around Zuko's light barely reached where he was walking so he trotted closer.

Katara looked to the ground and studied the stones. They were embedded into the dirt floor like someone purposely placed them there and the pattern was consistent. A red stone in the middle and four blue stones surrounding it, to Katara it seemed it had deeper meaning, but Katara said nothing the colors were too coincidental to their situation. A night ocean breeze flowed through the trees like honey flows through milk. Katara's skirt tugged along her legs and slightly rolled up from the breeze. Zuko's baggy green pants defined his masculine legs as the wind temporarily eliminated the excess pants.

Up ahead there was a green sign with gold letters the green was worn and the golden letters were almost impossible to read. Zuko got closer to the sign and placed a hand on it, he wiped off the dust and his gold eyes squinted to read it, 'Chen Bo.'

"We're here," he looked up at the deserted city. It was dim and small lanterns illuminated part of the city. The buildings looked old and the green paint was faint and dirty. The streets had small cracks in them giving it a deserted look. And to make things look even more deserted, an uncanny fog filled the whole city, but even stranger it didn't reach the path they were on.

"Who's going first?" Katara asked as she studied the isolated city. Zuko walked past the green sign and off of the dirt and stone road. He stepped onto the street of Chen Bo and felt a chill run down his spine. Katara timidly followed.

Aang and Iroh, Sokka and Toph followed behind them. As the group passed the green sign and tried to step onto the city streets the found that they were unable to. They approached the street and it seemed as if a force field were blocking their path, they felt along the the force field, it felt like a invisible wall. Behind the "wall" they could see Katara and Zuko on the other side.

"Katara!" Aang shouted from the other side of the city and his fist banged onto the wall.

"We can't get through!"

* * *

Katara turned around after she stepped pass the sign and onto the street of Chen Bo. Aang and the Gang were gone. 

She quickly walked back, "Aang! C'mon guys this isn't funny!" She looked onward to the dirt and stone path no one was there.

Zuko turned around after he heard her calling, "Uncle?!" he jogged to the green sign and looked onto the dirt road not a soul was there. It was quiet and all they could hear was silence.

Katara turned around to Zuko, she looked frantic, "Maybe we should go back…" Katara whispered to Zuko, she didn't know why she was whispering, but she felt a _need _to. Zuko shook his head.

"Even if we do go back, if they left us how are we going to get across the ocean?" Zuko talked in a hushed to as if someone was listening.

"Maybe their hiding in the trees or something, they couldn't have left us!" Katara began to yell at Zuko like he was doing something wrong. Katara's bottom lip began to tremble, and she started to figit with her caramel fingers.

"Do you really think your friends and my uncle would play hide and seek at a time like this?! You can go back!," he pointed a finger in the distance, "But I'm going to solve this mystery and rid myself of having this irritating dream!"

Katara looked down to the floor she knew he was right, "Well, they wouldn't just leave me!"

* * *

Sokka could see Katara and Zuko arguing in the distance, but couldn't hear them, "That's right you tell that firenation scum!" Sokka yelled to his sister while his brown hand clutched the wall. 

He saw Katara approach them, and the gang yelled to her to try to get her attention,"Katara! We're right here!" From the other side Katara felt the force field and her face fell. She mouthed something to Zuko and walked back to him.

"No, Katara! We're here!" Aang shouted as Iroh shouted to his nephew

* * *

"What do you mean we're stuck here!?" Zuko shouted as Katara slummed over to him. 

"Its like an invisible wall, we're not going anywhere," Katara looked around at the abandoned place it was creepy. Katara's tan eyelids slightly dropped covering half of her eye, she was tired.

On the front a building was a bench, it was made of oak and was tattered. The bench was long and it had two large white mildewed pillows on it for comfort. Even though it looked as if it would break on contact Katara was so tired she couldn't resist. She sauntered over to it and sat on it she stretched her legs onto the end of it and laid her head on the arm handle.

Zuko furrowed his eyebrows, "What are you doing!?"

"I'm resting, that's what people do when they get tired!" Katara snuggled her small tan head into her palm, and used her wide palm as a pillow.

"We need to get moving! The sooner we solve this mystery the sooner we can get out of here!"

Katara's eyes slowly closed, "but I'm so tired…" her words were slurred he could tell she was falling asleep.

"Well let's find an inn, or something…I refuse to sleep on a old rotting bench." Zuko stuck his nose in the air and crossed his masculine arms.

"An inn? This looks like a house I'm sure there's a bed or two inside…" her words were slightly above a mumble.

"Lets see…" Zuko walked over to the door, Katara slowly stood up with him. Zuko wiggled the door knob, it was locked.

"Well, maybe the inn isn't far from here…." Katara let out a long asperated sigh and stepped off the porch of the house and was starting to walk off until she heard a loud thud in the distance.When she turned around she saw that Zuko had knocked the door down and was exploring inside. Katara quickly ran back in.

Inside was a table in the middle of the floor, and a turned over small chair. On the right side wall was a study table with three drawers in it. There was a candle placed in the corner of the table and a small feather with ink for writing. Katara watched as Zuko thrased around in the drawers looking for items. He found more candles, stationary, and empty folders.

"This feels wrong," Katara clutched her betrothal necklace with her small caramel fingers

Zuko opened a draw and picked up an envelope he wiped of the dust and began to open it, "These people are probably dead or something, where ever they are I don't think they care about the things here if they left in here."

Katara peaked over his masculine shoulder in attempt to read the letter. She read the first line, 'Dear, Daddy I don't see you that much anymore...' Zuko turned away from the letter and crumbled it.

"What did it say?" Katara reached for the letter instinctively. Zuko stuffed the letter in his shoe and walked away. He reached a maple door in the middle of the room, he peered inside. It was a dirty, malodorous, bathroom. He quickly closed the door with a swift motion. He looked to the only other door in the house and opened it inside was a bed and a dresser…it was simple.

Katara followed him into the room. He stopped her at the entrance of the room, "There's only one bed." He began to close the door. Katara looked dumfounded and placed her tiny foot in between the door and the door frame, "I'm not sleeping on this floor…who knows what sickness I could catch." Zuko opened the door so he could see her facial expression, he smirked, "You were about to sleep on the bench outside…so…" he began to close the door again. Katara's face turned beet red, "I'm not sleeping outside!" Zuko closed the door completely. Katara placed her willowy hands on the door and began to pound furiously on the door.

Zuko ignored the pounds at first but they were making it impossible to sleep which he needed. He reluctantly stomped to the door and squeesed the door knob tight and his knuckles started to turn white, he forced the door open. Katara almost fell in; she regained her balance and rushed in before he could close it again. There was a candle burning on the dresser showing only one queen size bed and a dresser.

"There's not enough room for you. So can you go away!" Zuko groggily walked over to the bed and lay down, his voice was irritated. The sheets were yellow and the thin comforter was green.

"It's a queen size bed…it's practically made for two people!" Katara jumped onto the bed and slid under the blankets. Zuko sat up and his eyes grew in surprise. He placed his pale, thick hands on her back and scooted her further to the edge of the bed and lay back down.

"I wouldn't sleep with you if there was another choice," Katara closed her eyes lay her head on her hands that were placed together to create a makeshift pillow.

"Right, there are about 20 houses in this city which I'm sure have beds and you slept here." Zuko turned his muscular body to face the wall.

Katara's wide blue eyes opened and she stumbled over her words a bit, "I'm not sleeping by myself…" was all she could mumble out

"I know that now." Zuko smirked on the other side of the green and yellow bed, he whispered to himself, "coward..."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Don't flatter yourself,"

"Don't flatter _yourself_," he repeated and nodded off to sleep.

Katara grumbled under her breath and soon nodded off to sleep as well.

* * *

"_You should respect your elders, Zhy," The dragon moved closer to her, "You should respect me." He lunged for the girl._

_Another ear piercing scream rang through the gardens_…

_White powdery smoke rose, and clouded the sky, and when it cleared up, the girl was gone along with the chilling wind and the gold eyed red dragon. The garden was dead. A woman dressed in red and gold garbs ran into the garden on small gold heals. Her face was over powered by shadows and concealed she looked frantically around the garden calling the girls name. She then looked to the sky, "Zhy…I'm sorry, I will send for you!" _

_A small man dressed in red clothing and a gold headband approached the young woman. _

"_Mrs. Shale, we are preparing a search party as we speak," the man bowed and turned on the ball of his white heel to leave. _

"_Don't bother, I will find another way…a search party is inadequate…she was carried to the skies…" _

_**

* * *

**_

Zuko awoke holding his thick hand to his insipid forehead. There was a warm feeling on his chest and he rapidly arose to get rid of it. He looked down onto his lap and there on his thighs was the head of Katara. She was sound asleep and not stirred by his sudden jolt of movement. He stared down at her and stared at her chocolate hair. It looked so soft and feathery. It was tempting to touch. Zuko slowly reached his pale hand from his forehead to her hair, just to feel it. He rested his hand on her hair and his hand soaked into it like it would soak into water. And just like water her hair filled in the cracks of his fingers. The firebender slowly began to stroke her hair like a little child would stroke a kitten. Katara began to stir and a small smile graced her lips in her sleep. Zuko recoiled his hand and held it with the other.

_What was he doing! _His face snarled into a face of repulsion. It wasn't Katara that was repulsive, but what he just did was. He slowly tipped her head back of his legs and stepped off of the bed careful not to wake her up. He thrashed at his torso and pants to get rid of invisible dust. He strode over to the burning candle his fingers to put it out.

He glanced over at Katara to see if she was wake, she was sound asleep. He looked out of the large window. It was dusty and dirty, he reached down into his shoe and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. It was the letter he found in the drawer, he read it.

* * *

A/n: How did you like it? Ohh, Shale know's Zhy!!! And what does the letter say? Questions? Anyway, I got no review for the first chapter but i did get a few alerts and favorites thanks guys, but like i said before reviews are nice. 


	3. Daddy's Little Girl

_Dear, Daddy I didn't ever see you that much, but when you didn't come home for a week I became suspicious, Mama said that you were out at the fishing mart. I believed her for a few more days, but after that the only reason why I thought I believed her was because I didn't want to face the fact you weren't coming home. Finally, I asked Mama again, and this time she told me the truth. For a while she didn't have the money to support me and I had to go away. Soon she came for me again, but with another man…he was…firenation, at first I didn't understand, later I found out they were married she explained to me that he could provide us with money and support me so I accepted him. He was never fond of me…he said that he loved Mama not me…he said I was worthless. _

_He hits me, I wanna come home…Daddy I want to live with you, I'm afraid he is going to hurt me! He told me that he would hurt mommy if I told her, but I tried anyway, she didn't believe me and now she calls me a liar, I'm not a liar! I forgive you for leaving me and mommy, I just wanna go home, come take me home…please._

_-Daddy's little girl, Zhy _

Katara held the paper tightly and her knuckles began to turn white, "The girl in our dream…she was abused," a small tear found its way down Katara's tan cheek, she quickly wiped it away.

"Not only that, she was from the earth kingdom living in the firenation," Zuko held his chin and sat on the edge of the bed causing the sheets to wrinkle around him.

Katara closed her eyes and starred at the sun through the window. The letter was so sad, "She loved her dad so much and he left her, and the mom isn't much better, she told her mom she was being abused and yet she refused to listen to her," Katara sniffled and wiped away another tear.

"She only married him for the money." Zuko turned towards Katara

"Maybe, but there is so many other men with good money…why him?" Katara turned her head further to look out the window so Zuko couldn't see her tears causing the sun to beat directly on her face.

"Most rich firenation men don't settle for earth kingdom women…" Zuko looked down at the grimy wooden floor "… maybe she thought he was the only rich man she could get." He moved his foot across the floor like a mop, pushing away dirt and bugs. He didn't notice the bugs last night.

Katara wiped away some more tears and inhaled sharply, gradually anger rose from within her, "Are you standing up for this woman!"

Zuko looked at her and grimaced, "No, I'm just saying it might not have been her fault!"

"That's practically standing up for her!" Katara furrowed her thin coffee eyebrows

"Look, I'm not going to go back and forth with you on this, let's just get out of here." Zuko stood up from the bed and headed for the closed maple door carefully not to step on the large bugs scurrying back and forth across the room.

"Not until you explain to me why you think the mom isn't at fault!" Katara was obviously very serious about the letter. Zuko just opened the door and closed it behind him. Katara advanced right behind him.

"I know, you're a mama's boy!" Katara's anger was suddenly replaced with humor. She giggled.

Zuko walked pass the study and swiped dust from the table and turned around, "You… know nothing," fury rang through his voice like a pastor rings church bells.

"C'mon I'm just kidding…did I hit a soft spot?" despite the warning in his voice Katara had continued. She laughed.

Zuko slowly turned his head over his shoulder, and the look on his face made even Katara stop laughing by intimidation, "I don't have a soft spot," he then moved his head forward and stepped out of the infested old house and onto the cracked streets. Katara knew she hit a soft spot by the sound of his voice, her humor soon turned to regret. She jogged up to Zuko, with a remorseful look on her face; "Look, Zuko I'm sorry," Katara looked down at the burgundy book in her hands. She was about to continue until Zuko interrupted her, "See if the characters have changed."

Katara opened the book and skimmed through the pages, the characters were the same.

"They haven't," Katara looked up at Zuko while they walked through the deserted streets; it was palpable that Zuko had forgiven her in his own silent way.

"I almost forgot…our dream last night, the woman in it the man in red called her Shale, I've seen her before…"

Zuko just kept walking, "When?"

"Yesterday, she gave me the book, but when I left the house and came back nothing was there…and I was accused of being crazy." Katara pulled her hair and began to braid it, while she handed the burgundy book to Zuko. He smirked, "Crazy…" Katara smiled and pulled the bun into her chocolate hair.

They trudged through the streets for hours with no rest, and the sun was still high in the sky beating on the back of their necks. Katara stomach grumbled and she held it tightly, that was the fifth time in ten minutes it spoke to her. Zuko smirked and she took notice, "It's not funny, I'm so hungry…can we please stop to eat," Katara stopped walking and Zuko trudged on, "Sure we can, when you find somewhere to stop let me know."

Katara trotted to Zuko to catch up, she looked around the desolate city and all there was, was house after deserted house. Katara rolled her eyes.

"Can't we find a river or something to catch fish, ANYTHING!?" Katara let out a long exaggerated sigh when he didn't reply.

"Shh!" Zuko held a thick pale finger in the air and Katara stared at it momentarily.

In the distance the faint patter on footsteps echoed through the silent city. It came from a house to the right of them. Zuko tugged on Katara's sleeve, and silently ran to porch of the house; slowly Zuko neared the door with Katara right behind him. His bulky hand reached for the knob, but before he could pull it open the person from the inside jumped onto the porch in front of them holding a frying pan. Zuko and Katara quickly stood in a fighting stance.

The man had on a white headband and a white outfit. On the back of it was the Yin Yang sign. He was small; he was taller than Katara but shorter than Zuko. He looked young…maybe his late twenties. His skin was bronze and he had short dusty brown hair. And his eyes were a piercing green.

Katara quickly stood down and pointed a finger at him, "You accused me of being crazy!"

The man placed the frying pan at his side and laughed. He had deep dimples on the side of his face. "Is she with you?" he nudged a thumb in Katara's direction. Zuko stood out of fighting stance once he was sure he wasn't a threat.

"Kinda…" The man in white laughed again and held out his hand and Zuko took hold of it, "The names Po Chen," he grip was firm. He then held his hand out to Katara, she unwillingly took it, "No hard feelings, right?" Katara eyeballed him and gave in to his stunning features; she slightly rolled her eyes and gave a tiny smile, "No hard feelings."

He turned to the door, "C'mon inside…it's the liveliest house here."

Katara and Zuko followed him inside. Inside was a small table with pillows around it and a study area, like found in the first house, a small window was above it. The smell of honey bread filled his house.

"Are ya guy's hungry?" Po Chen placed steaming rolls of honey bread in a wicker basket and placed them on the small table.

Katara lunged for the food and began to stuff the sweet rolls down her throat. She never felt like Sokka so much in her life before. Zuko and Po Chen looked at her disbelievingly.

Katara felt a hot glare on her back and she embarrassingly turned around with half a roll in her mouth the other half hanging out her mouth and another in both her left and right hands. She smiled with awkwardness and shrugged her shoulders.

Dfgsdgdsfgdfswerioawerwf

Po Chen, Zuko, and Katara sat around the table on small green velvet pillows. Each of them had a cup of tea in their hand. The moon was high and it cast light onto the trio from the window by the study table.

"So, Po Chen, you thought I was crazy, you are the crazy one living is such a deserted town," Katara chuckled a bit and waited for his response.

Po Chen smiled and his dimples dug into his cheeks, he took a sip of his tea and sucked his tender tongue to swallow the flavor within it, "I've lived here my whole life I couldn't image living anywhere else actually."

Zuko glance at Po Chen, and placed both of his pale hands onto the tea cup, "How did this place become deserted anyway?"

"The well dried up…but as Miss Katara knows," he pointed a bronze hand at Katara and Katara smiled, "I work sweeping up alleys and such, I bring home gallons of water to last me for months on the boat ride home."

"Oh," Katara leaned her head to the side and shrugged her shoulders, "makes sense."

"What brings you guy's here," Po Chen placed the brown pottery cup to his lips and took another long sip.

"A mystery," Katara simply stated as she leaned back onto the palm of her hand.

Po Chen looked amused he beamed and his chingy eyes got smaller, "About what? I always did like a good mystery?"

"About a girl named, Zhy… and now that I mention it any information about her would be good," Po Chen smile faded and he shook the small amount of tea around in the cup.

Po Chen looked down at his cup, "No, I've never heard of her." Po Chen stood up from his pillow, "There are some fortune cookies in my cabinet, d'you guys want any?"

Katara grinned, "That sounds nice," Po Chen walked into a different room and Zuko and Katara could hear him rummaging through the cabinets.

Zuko pulled Katara down below the table, "Something's not right," his voice was well below a whisper Katara had to strain her round ears to hear him.

"What are you talking about?"

"He's not telling us something," Po Chen entered back into the room and saw two head bob back up from under the table.

He grinned, "I'm not going to ask what you guys were doing, but here's the cookies you wanted," They both took one cookie. Katara quickly ate it and read the fortune.

"Good things come to those who wait…" Katara nodded her head, "Not the first time I heard that, Zuko open yours." Zuko looked up at her and shook his head, "Not now, my mind is stuck on that letter," Zuko nudged Katara's shoulder and she looked at him questioningly.

"I'm going to put the cookies away I'll be right back," Po Chen walked into another room and Zuko yanked Katara down under the table.

"If we show him the letter maybe he'll give more information then he let off," Zuko pulled Katara back up after he heard footsteps coming.

Katara winked at him, "Well, here's the letter if you wanna look it over." Katara pulled the letter from her torso and handed it to Zuko as Po Chen sat down. Po Chen's eyes seemed to be glued to the letter, it seemed to set him into a trance.

"Me and Katara were at a debate, here read this letter do you think the mom or the dad is at fault?" Zuko handed the letter to Po Chen he looked over it.

"Where did you find this?" Po Chen held the letter to his heart and held his head down. Katara could tell he was holding back tears.

"A house by the entrance, so who do you think is wrong?" Katara planned to persist until he caved in.

Po Chen pounded onto the table and slammed the letter down onto the floor, "The evil, sick, twisted man who took her away!" he was gasping in between breaths and a bundle of tears fell town his cheeks and flowed through his dimples, which were apparently visible when he was crying too.

"Po Chen do you know Zhy?" Katara placed her hand onto his and he laid his head onto the table and gently placed his large bronze hand over top of hers.

"She was my…" Po Chen took a sharp breath, "…daughter." Po Chen's back rapidly moved up in down with every sob he took.

Katara recoiled her hand and brushed it past her head, "She wrote this letter to you?"

Po Chen nodded, and put both of his hands over his eyes and held his head up with his elbows on the table.

"And you didn't come to save her!" Katara stood from the table and rage welled up inside her.

"No, Katara you don't understand," he took a deep breath and looked at her, "I tried, but I couldn't get through the firenation docks…it was too crowded, and when I finally reached her home, I saw Shale in the middle of a dead garden crying!" Po Chen grabbed at his hair and continued weeping.

"If I had only gotten there sooner…" Po Chen stood from the table whispering to himself. Katara began to pace the floor.

"Wouldn't the firenation arrest you as soon as you got to the dock, considering the war of the nations?" Zuko stood along with everyone else.

Po Chen looked bewildered, "What war?" Katara and Zuko exchanged glances, "The war that has been going on for 100 years," Zuko looked around the room and then back at Po Chen.

Katara stopped pacing the floor and walked over to Po Chen, "How old are you?"

Po Chen wiped away his tears even though more fell, "27, but you could say I'm 127,"

"But, how?" Katara persisted the interrogation

"Zhy, she wasn't the reason I left her mother…and Zhy knew that I still loved her when she got taken away by that evil man, I was cursed with longevity, it was nice at first. But I hate living and everyday thinking of how I couldn't save her." Po Chen grabbed a brown sack from and corner and began to stuff it with various items including the letter.

"Where did they take Zhy, is she dead?" Zuko walked over to where Katara was

Po Chen shook his head, "She's very much alive,"

"Where is she?" Katara endured

He shook his head again, "I don't know, I would find her by myself but…I can't, she has picked two individuals to relive the curse so we can be free." Po Chen entered the bathroom and pulled a piece of parchment from under a bucket. "The only way the curse can be lifted is if the two individuals…" he paused and looked towards the floor, "Never mind…it wouldn't matter much to you anyway, you aren't the two individuals…" he paused once more and looked up, "Are you?" Po Chen looked at them with a gleam of hope.

"How would we know if we are," Zuko finally spoke, he furrowed his eyebrows comprehending all Po Chen had said.

"You would know…" he sighed, Po Chen tied his sack to secure his items.

"We have both…" Katara pointed to Zuko and back to herself and continued "had dreams of your daughter…the garden and everything," Po Chen's face glowed and hope flushed over him like rivers of crystal water.

He grabbed Katara and Zuko's shoulders, "Find her, I'm sure she will help you. She wants our family to be together again, you can save me, no, you can save us!, from this torment." He slightly rustled and shook their shoulders.

"How can we fix this curse and not relive it?" Katara didn't want to relive any curse

"Find Zhy and she will help you on the rest…because quite frankly I don't know either."

He opened the door and the moonlight strongly showed through, "We have to find a way out of this town, this is just the first step of finding her," he grabbed the sack and ran onto the road.

Zuko and Katara rushed out the door after Po Chen. "We have tried to leave, there is an invisible wall around the city," Chen looked at the small book Katara held in her hands. "May I see this?" he reached for the burgundy book and Katara handed it to him.

He skimmed through the pages and reached the page with characters on it, they began to change form and both Zuko and Katara stared at the forming words.

Zuko read it aloud, "Alone you are powerless together you are invincible,"

"Hmm, wonder what that means," as if on cue men dropped down from the rooftops of the houses.

They were a ghastly white and green. They were transparent and they were dressed as fire nation soldiers, each one equipped with a sword.

"Ghost," Po Chen grabbed the burgundy book close to his masculine chest and backed away. Zuko and Katara rapidly stood into a fighting position.

The soldiers began to near them, and Katara and Zuko neared each other until there backs were almost touching. A slight draft swayed into the dark streets, and Katara arm hairs stood on end, and Zuko's grew goose bumps.

The ghost unsheathed the swords at their side and began to run towards the pair.

Po Chen sat, crouched, on the side of a house and watched as the brawl unfolded, and sat the book to in between his legs and chest and began to pray, frantically.

Zuko stood with his legs spread apart, his knees were bent slightly at a right angle. His arms stood straight out in front of him and fire erupted from his palms, he moved his stiff arms in a circular motion and the fire swirled and glowed with them. He pulled back his arms and the fire turned into a sphere.

Katara pulled water from her flask, and squatted slightly. She moved her hands freely and the water whipped around in an alluring motion. Her wrist began to flicker and she moved her arms in wide circular motions.

Zuko released his first shot. It hit one of the soldiers arm holding a sword. His arm dissipated and Zuko smirked slightly ready to release another. Before he freed another fireball from his palm the fog began to gather around the wounded soldiers arm and the white mist quickly dissipated and appeared at their feet. When Zuko reverted his gaze to the soldier, his arm was back holding a sword lunging for him. Zuko let his body fall to the ground to dodge the soldiers attack

The water moved like waves across the foggy street. It hit a cluster of soldiers and they vanished into the mist. Katara quickly water whipped another soldier without thought. He also fell into the fog, disappearing. The fog began to rise from the floor of the streets and took to the air it swirled furiously around the empty spot were the soldiers had stood. The fog rapidly fell back to the floor and all of the soldiers stood, un-phased.

"Do you see this!?" Katara yelled over the noise, she shot her arms straight out and water shot straight across, she quickly blew over the water and it turned to ice, stabbing a soldier. She started to whip it around like a sword as the soldiers got closer and closer to them.

"A hit seems to at least phase them! Just keep hitting them!" Zuko threw an array of fireballs at the soldier's non-stop. He started to slowly back away and Katara inched back with him, still swiping the ice sword worriedly at the ghost.

They unintentionally started to near Po Chen. And Po Chen slowly shook his head behind them, "I know what they want," he quietly said

Zuko turned around, he was unaware Po Chen was behind them, "What!?" he got distracted Po Chen was terrified.

The ghost quickly got closer to Zuko taking the chance.

"Zuko!" Katara yelled to get his attention. As Zuko turned around he was met with a sword, it passed through the skin of his chest and through the flesh. Zuko fell to the ground in a heap. Katara quickly jumped in front of him to protect him from further attack.

Po Chen stood up behind her, and walked toward the soldiers.

"Po Chen! What are you doing?!" Katara turned her head slightly while still hysterically swinging her sword. "They want me!" Po Chen walked straight in front of her and the soldiers stopped attacking.

"No! Po Chen stand behind me I'll protect you!" An array of tears started to pour down her face, she already lost Zuko she couldn't loose Po Chen too; she didn't want to be left alone. Katara held her sword at the ready behind her ear.

Po Chen turned to face Katara and the soldiers grabbed him, "I'm protecting _you_," his eyes were full of worry and remorse, "Find my daughter."

The soldiers pulled Po Chen and began to retreat to the sky.

"Why you?!" Katara yelled to Po Chen as he took to the skies, "Don't you understand?! That firenation soldier doesn't want my family to be together!" And with that the soldiers and Po Chen vanished into the air and the fog slowly soaked into the ground like water.

Katara gazed into the sky with tears hammering down her face staining her tan cheeks. She quickly fell to the ground were Zuko lay. She looked at his wound, it went through his shoulder. She began to examine it through the blurriness due to tears. The wound spurted out blood and Katara quickly pulled off a piece of her robe and wiped it away. Around the wound was a grisly green glow. She tied the robe around his chest to stop the bleeding. She put her hands to his chest and he wasn't breathing. She placed two fingers to his throat and there was barely a pulse. She knew she couldn't heal him, but he was still alive. Katara summoned the last bit of water from her flask and she placed her hands on Zuko's mortal wound. The water began to glow and quickly turned dull and ran off the sides of his body. She began to shake Zuko furiously, "How am I gonna do this without you?!" she was screaming at the top of her lungs even though she knew Zuko couldn't hear her.

Katara laid her small tan head across his chest and her arms and began to weep over him.

A strong wind blew and Katara held her head up. She grabbed her arms for warmth. She placed a hand on Zuko's abdomen and he was so cold. She had never felt someone so cold before, a new batch of tears ran down her face.

Another breeze ran across the deserted town. She heard a crackle beside her and she quickly turned to see what it was. It sounded like paper and it blew beside her. It was brown and worn out, she picked it up. It was the parchment Po Chen pulled from under the bucket in the bathroom. She further examined it, it was a map. A gleam of hope grew inside of her. She quickly studied the map, then she folded it up and stuffed it into the tie of her robe.

"C'mon Zuko," she stood and looped her small arms under and around Zuko's muscular arms. She bended down and began to drag him through the abandoned street. The map led to the back of the city.

* * *

Towards the back of the city was a beach. And at the edge of the beach was a small canoe and she dragged Zuko across the sand onto the boat. The sand flitted side to side as Zuko's legs lagged through it.

Katara pulled Zuko up onto the Canoe, and carefully laid him down between the two seats. She hurriedly got in and grabbed the ores. She wiped away the dried tears, and began to row, following the map into town.

* * *

She reached the dock of the city and stepped on to the pier. She pulled Zuko out and looked to find help. Two men guarding the pier spotted her dragging Zuko off the boat and one of the men rushed to aid her.

"Ma'm would you like some help," his voice was low and strong, yet he looked young, his voice certainly surpassed his years. He wore green and brown armor and had a small beard.

Katara began to cry frantically to the man, "Yes! Yes please…I need a doctor!" she stumbled over her words and the man quickly took Zuko from her hold.

"Follow me ma'm the doctor isn't far from here," he hoisted Zuko onto his back and ran off of the dock towards the doctors office with Katara closely behind.

* * *

A/n: Plz review and a thankyou to ppl who already have, or ppl that has favorited or ppl that has alerted...thanks again, so tell me did you hate it, like it, love it? REVIEW 


	4. Everything was all Wrong

**Jealousy's Thoughts**

Flaming daggers dance

Afraid to stop

Faintly falling, daring

To make haste

Dreading, dreaming

Headed for collision

Heating, then healing

The hatred it creates

-**cxilali**

Aang stared into the night sky, everyone was asleep. He knew Zuko was an okay guy, but he just couldn't stand the fact that he was with _her, _and they were alone in a deserted town…he trusted Katara just not Zuko, he hoped to Agni Zuko wasn't that type of guy.

He continued to stare aimlessly out at the moonlight, it somehow put him at ease.

"What er' you still doin' up twinkle toe's?" Toph came and sat by Aang on the dirt floor.

Aang was surprised she was still up, "Nothing, just couldn't sleep," Even though his response was logical, she knew what was really the matter…and she planned on pressing the issue. In other words, force the truth out of him.

"Right. I'm sure it has nothing to due with a blue eyed girl and a tough firebender." Toph stated sarcastically as she gazed off.

"I just couldn't sleep, that's all!" his voice raised he was starting to become defensive. Toph still didn't plan to back down.

"Look, twinkle toe's, I don't do this often so listen up. I know you're worried about Katara and Zuko, and stuff, but I know Iroh and he's a good man I'm sure he's taught Zuko well, and Zuko's not really a bad guy either…" She stood and began to walk away, "You can tell me the truth or you can just claim you can't go to sleep, either way I know what's bothering you." There was a hint of compassion in her voice, she walked pass the dried up fire logs.

"Wait, Toph…" Toph turned around and slowly began to walk towards him; the confession was at her fingertips. "You're right; it's just that…" he paused for a second it was obvious he was having trouble saying what was really on his mind, "do you think Zuko would…"

Toph intervened before he could finish, "Of course not, Zuko's not that type of guy."

Aang gave her a bewildered look, "You've only known him about one or two days," Aang stood and faced her looking sternly into her white eyes.

"When you're blind other senses get stronger," Toph pointed to her wide eyes then to her head, then she turned and walked away leaving a wondering boy behind.

Aang climbed onto Appa's saddle and laid his head down, he knew Toph was right. As much as Aang didn't want to admit it he knew she was in good hands.

He felt a feeling surge throughout his body like an electrical current, and it wasn't relief. It was a pang of jealousy, he should have been her "friend" he should be the one enclosed in that deserted city with Katara.

Everything was all wrong.

**

* * *

**A/n: short but necessary to show where Aang is, yes Taang lovers Taang in later chapters, well there was a little in this chapter. 


	5. Trip to the Spirit World

**Trip to the Spirit World **

**When **  
**Every Little**  
**Rain Drop Falls**  
**Dreams Come True For**  
**All**

**Sante**

Zuko awoke to a bright, blinding light. He looked around and it seemed as if he was in an all white room.

He carefully stood up cautious not to worsen the pounding headache he already had. The firebender felt cold, and more chills ran throughout his body. He slightly brushed over his shoulder where he was wounded. The wound seemed to be getting worse and the green seemed to glow and emit an emerald light of its own. His skin was pale.

Zuko walked closer to the light in front of him and the green light from his shoulder began to swirl and lift off of him into the white misty light. It seemed as if the light was drawing him near it, he slowly sauntered closer to it, and his life force seemed to drain away with the light his skin was restored to its natural color

The green glow was fully gone and the stab wound began to disappear. And he was so close to the light his taste buds in his mouth could taste the glow and warmth. His body warmed and was invited by the light to move closer. His throbbing headache slowly withered away as he neared closer to the light.

As Zuko stepped into the source of the light, in a trance, a giggle echoed through the white walls and he quickly turned around. And there in a corner a little girl stood with a smile on her face and with her hand and arm outreached to Zuko. She had tan skin, and long charcoal hair, and round green eyes that glowed in the dazzling light.

Zuko looked mesmerized into her face, she was familiar. He thought to himself quietly and it finally clicked as he thought back to the little girl in his dream,

"Zhy…" he stepped away from the light and took hold of Zhy's outstretched hand. She led him away from the light and into another room. The walls were amethyst and a lavender scent flowed through the air. The room was empty like the last, "Where am I?" Zuko released his grip on the girls hand and all of his pain was restored. His headache was back and the pain of the wound and the glow, and he was cold, and his natural color drained away.

"Ugh," Zuko gripped his head, Zhy quickly turned to face him.

"Lay here," Zhy pressed her hand to his head and her other small tan hand to his abdomen and he fell back onto a bed. It looked as if it appeared out of now where.

"You're in the spirit world," her voice was high and tiny, her voice was youthful. She was almost half the height of Zuko.

Zuko slowly let his hand fall to his side as his pain lessened, "Why?"

Zhy let go of his head and held her hands up and a small bottle appeared in her hands, "You're dying." The bottle began to glow purple like the room and she held the tiny ornament to her chest.

Zuko's face lit up in astonishment and fear, "Dying…" his voice was troubled. And he quickly grew mad as he noticed that annoying smile was still on her face…did she understand what she had said? He is dying!

"Yup, but don't worry I wont let that happen." She opened the bottle and poured it onto the wound. Zuko flinched and the green glow that emitted vanished, and with it his anger.

"I gotta get back to the Earth," Zuko quickly sat up and the bed disappeared with a glow. He fell straight onto his bottom. A chair quickly grew in its place from under Zuko. He was automatically seated. His headache echoed through his ears, and head. He grabbed his head again.

"No, you need your rest," She pressed his head again and he fell back onto the chair that quickly turned into a bed.

Zuko laid back and closed his pale golden eyes, "Well, since I'm here," he yawned he was so tired, "how can we help you?" his voice drifted off in the last statement.

"Shh, all in time…Today you rest, tomorrow you'll find the answers you seek, and then in a while… maybe in a week or a month you will be ready to return to Earth," Zuko slowly opened his eyes, "But I don't have…that much…time." His voice drifted and his vision of Zhy began to blur.

Zhy held a finger to Zuko's mouth, "Shhhhhhh," and Zuko's eyes slowly closed and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Is he going to be okay?" Katara sat on a white bench against the wall, the guard close by her. He was also waiting for Zuko's recovery. 

They were sitting on that same white wall wooden bench all night, and they were both starting to drift to sleep as they watched the doctor walk back and forth with drug after drug, nodding and shaking his head with a lot of "mhhmm's" and "uhuhuh's."

The doctor was dressed in green with a white headband. The headband had the characters of 'Doctor' in Chinese characters. He was hovering above Zuko, who was not responding. Zuko lay in a hospital bed with white sheets and a cabinet of different drugs beside him.

The doctor shook his head; he tugged on his long white beard and rubbed his white, wiry haired head. "He is not responding to any of the test, the pulse in low and there is no heartbeat…" The guard placed a hand on Katara's back and Katara lowered her head, "Is he gonna die?" a few small tears fell down her cheeks.

The doctor nodded his head, "There is a great chance," The tears began to cascade down Katara's cheeks and the guard tried his best to console her. The doctor took notice of her pain and felt remorse.

His eyes drifted from the patient to Katara, "Well, there is still a pulse," Katara and the guard both looked up, "Come back tomorrow …maybe…" the doctor sound hesitant in his decision, "The drugs are…taking time to reach his blood stream…" Katara jumped up and the guard quickly stood with her surprised of the sudden movement.

"Thank you so much…" she grabbed his hand and shook it, "He's all I got right now."

* * *

"I have to get back to my post, where do you live so I can walk you home?" The guard faced her and opened the hospital door so she could walk through. Katara folded her arms and faced the guard, "I can take care of myself," her tears had dried up. 

The guard was at a loss for words and he stammered over what he could muster out, "I-I just th-thought that it would be m-my duty to walk you…uh, home,"

"Why, because I'm a girl?" Katara gave him a glare, she was unaware she was giving him such a hard time. Even though she was saying the words her mind was completely and solely on Zuko's condition.

"Um, no, not at all…" It was obvious the guard was nervous

"Would you ask to walk a man home?" Katara began to walk off onto the still bustling streets besides the hour of the morning. The moon was still high in the sky. She was mad that Zuko left her; she knew he was as good as dead…and she guessed she was taking her anger out on the guard.

"Well, n-no…I just thought it would be a little dangerous for a girl to walk the street at this hour o-of the nnight"

"I'll be fine thank you," and Katara walked off leaving a stunned guard behind, until she remembered she didn't have a place to stay, or the money, "Um excuse me," Katara watched as the retreating back slowly and hesitantly turn around, "Y-yes ma'm,"

"I never did catch your name," she neared him and put a small smile on her face.

* * *

Zuko awoke to an all red room. The room walls were a deep crimson which would logically give the room a dark feel, but here the walls glowed and it seemed like everything shined. 

Zuko sat up, _slowly_ this time and the bed _slowly_ shrunk into a chair to fit his position. He looked at his hands and they were the normal color they were before he wiggled his head and his headache was gone, he felt his shoulder and the wound was no where to be found. He looked around the room and it was empty, no annoying smiling girl, no nothing.

He slowly got up and stepped onto the floor, and a velvet red carpet unrolled at his feet for him to walk on. He had to admit, this place was a lot better then Earth. Zuko wiggled his toes and stepped with his back in perfect posture, it was like being at the palace again.

He entered the next room at the opening and the walls were a light blue, and a draft blew. The velvet carpet turned into a silk roll and slowly unraveled at his feet. It was deep blue and flowed in and out of the room like a ribbon. He eyed it questioningly. This room was empty too, except for a small burgundy book, which was carefully placed in the center of the floor. It was like the one Katara always clung onto, the one with the changing characters. He wondered how it made it all the way up to the spirit world.

He remembered that Po Chen was the last that had it, he furrowed his eyebrows in thought and sat down and a chair appeared for him to sit.

The chair suddenly disappeared and Zuko fell through the floor onto an open arena. He fell onto his back and a loud cracking sound resounded through the empty place. It hurt bad, it was a long fall. A large pillow then erupted from under him and slightly eased the pain. He slowly got up and walked around the huge arena.

It was huge it looked exactly like the coliseum from that ancient time and era. It was oddly empty, but Zuko wasn't surprised everything else in this place was.

On the opposite side of the arena Zuko could hear a loud giggling noise, and he automatically knew it was Zhy.

"Sorry," Zhy walked over to Zuko with a huge smile on her face, "I just gotta get better with timing!" her voice was joyful and full of happiness, it was seriously starting to annoy Zuko.

Zuko held his back in pain, "Yeah, you do." He slightly glared at her, until he remembered how young she was, "Now, anyway, you told me that you would answer all my questions, right?"

Zhy smiled at him brightly, "Most of your questions, some you gotta figure out on your own," she nodded her head to herself and giggled a little. Zuko eyed her suspiciously; she wasn't annoying she was _weird._

"Well, to start off why is this place so empty?"

"I just thought you liked it that way…I mean with all the meditating n' stuff you do." She stated through her forever smiling teeth.

"Yeah, the quiet is nice." Zuko looked around the huge stadium, and everything was silent, except for the little girls eerie sporadic giggling.

"I can make there be people if you want me to!" she quickly said with bright eyes.

"No, no that's alright." Zuko held out his hand as if to stop her. He studied the little girl some more, she was smiling, still. She was smiling so hard it seemed like her eyes and nose were smiling too. She was beyond weird, she was abnormal.

"Well what's your next question? I'll be happy to answer it!"

"I bet you will," Zuko picked one of the many questions floating in his head, "Your father told Katara and I that you would tell us or "show" us how not to relive this curse."

The smile on Zhy's face dissipated and Zuko took notice.

"Is your father here in the spirit world? That's the only way this burgundy book could have got here." Zuko gripped the book in his hands and showed her.

The smile quickly erupted back onto Zhy's face, "My daddy's in the spirit world!"

"I guess…" Zuko was not at all fond of her giddiness.

"But…how?"

"I don't know, I was stabbed by one of the firenation ghost soldiers before I saw what happened to him."

"Oh no…" the grin on her face fell again and she stared off into the distance, "He got daddy,"

"Who?" The scenery quickly dissipated to white and back into a smoky fog scene.

There was a large grey stone castle with swirls of smoke bandaging it. Around the castle were skeletons, alive ones at that. They stood with axes and swords in their hands. And from around the sides of the castle out of the smog, the same firenation ghost soldiers formed. They trotted around the castle on horses as if to guard it.

Zhy stood next to Zuko, "He's in there…wanna get some hot noodles and tea!?" The smile was back along with the bothersome giggles. The scenery quickly faded into another empty room. It was amethyst; they were both seated on chairs opposite of each other, with a plum table separating them. Two bowls of noodles appeared at their finger tips. Zuko gave her even more suspicion.

"But, aren't you sad about your father?" Zuko pointed into the air, like he was pointing in the direction of her father.

"Of course not…cause I know you and that pretty girl is gonna save him, and my mommy."

"Who, Katara?" The 'pretty girl' part threw him a bit.

"Yeah, if that's what her name is, the girl in blue," Zhy smiled as she indulged herself into another large gulp of tea.

Zuko smirked and laughed a little.

"Don't you think she's pretty, Zuko?" Zuko looked at her, he was taken aback by her question, and to say the least bit astonished.

"Uh, she's alright…I don't really look at her that way." Zuko scratched the back of his head with his large pale fingers. He felt uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Oh, I just thought after spending two or three whole days together, you would at least look at her _that _way." Zhy looked at him with raised eyebrows and slowly placed another small sip of tea to her mouth.

"Well, I haven't," Zuko tried his best to drop the subject, but the joyful girl persisted, "I'm just saying…you two would make a cute couple."

Zuko almost choked on his noodles, "Trust me, after we are done saving your family, we aren't going to have to be by each other, and we won't, its never going to happen."

"Never say never," Zhy smiled, she wrapped some strings of noodles in between her chopsticks.

"It's _never_ going to happen," Zuko sipped his tea and reached for his chopsticks.

"I mean really its not hard to believe, you are a cute guy and she is a pretty girl…hmm I bet your babies would be really cute…maybe they would have gold eyes and brown hair or blue eyes and black hair…and the name would be, uhhh, Kako, cause its like mixing your name and her name together! Get it?!" she laughed and giggled and Zuko impatiently waited for her to finish.

"You done?" Zuko tuned out everything she said after, "babies."

"Zuko, think about it I knew you were gonna get stabbed, I knew you and Katara were gonna get separated from the group…I know things."

Zuko thought quietly to himself, she was right, "You obviously didn't know about your father."

"Maybe not, but I know things…like love is in the air!" she smiled and jumped off of her seat. The seat slowly sunk into the floor. She then covered her lips, but the tips of her smiling mouth were seen through it. "I've said to much already," she giggled

Zuko's seat disappeared and he fell through the hole in the floor again, Zhy called down to him from above, "Did you know red and blue make purple?" she giggled again and slowly her smiling face was out of Zuko's view. He fell through the floor onto a bed. The room was red and he slowly nodded off to sleep for recovery.

* * *

A month had passed and Zuko only had seen Zhy twice including the first encounter. He was alone. He spent most of the silence meditating. 

Every now and then a warm meal would spring out of the floor on a table. And he would often glance in the book for changing characters, but there was no luck. He couldn't get his mind off of what Zhy had said. She did know things a lot of things, and it made Zuko think.

A shrill giggle echoed through his room, he automatically knew it was Zhy. He sighed and turned to face her.

"I think you have had enough recovery time, don't you?" she smiled ear to ear

Zuko stood from his chair and it shrunk back into the floor, "I have thought so for the past month."

Zhy grinned and spoke through her teeth, "Pushy, aren't we…" A hole formed beneath Zuko and he quickly fell through, and again as he fell she yelled to him from above, "Did you know red and blue make purple, hmm, well C'ya later!" she waved cheerfully above him.

Zuko's glowing blue body fell through clouds, and through a roof. He fell back onto his body and sunk into it.

* * *

A/N: like it? Review!! 


	6. Mistake

**Mistakes**

Before I get started I have to clear something out of the air, Balut and Ginseng are aphrodisiacs, and the definition of an aphrodisiac is -an agent which is used to increase sexual desire

"Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts."  
_Nikki Giovanni_

"Hello Miss. Katara, I have to admit I didn't believe he was going to make it, but I am happy to report he is in excellent condition!" The doctor led Katara and the guard through the thick rice door.

"Here he is," the doctor pointed to him, "not a scratch on him, just a minor headache." The doctor had a wide grin on his face which reflected his achievement.

"Thank you so much, Dr. Zhou Dai," Katara shook his hand and maneuvered pass him to see Zuko sitting on the clean white bed drinking different herbs and water mashed together as a remedy.

"It took a lot longer than expected, but here he is alive and well!"

Katara rushed to his side and sat on the foot of the bed, she smiled at him, "I thought that I was gonna have to do this by myself," she giggled a little. Zuko didn't smile he was tired of hearing giggling of any sort. He set down his drink and stood up.

"Oh! You have to get your rest! It is consequential if you don't!" Dr. Zhou Dai pulled on Zuko's pale broad shoulders to pull him back down.

"I've rested for a month, I think I'm fine." Zuko pulled his green removed shirt over his head and walked out the door.

"He's always like that," Katara said with a small smirk on her brown lips as she watched his retreating back.

"Well, I'm not worried about that, but I do require payment." The doctor held out his hand and pushed up his chin.

Katara batted her eyelashes pleadingly at the guard and he sighed,

"How much?"

"10 gold pieces and 5 more for his miraculous recovery." The guard furrowed his eyebrows and showed his teeth in disgust.

Zhou Dai shrugged his scrawny shoulders and lifted his thick white eyebrows, "How else am I supposed to pay for medicines?"

The guard sighed again and shoved 15 gold pieces into the doctor's hand from under his green belt.

"Thank you so much, Fou! I promise I'll pay you back!" Fou, the guard, walked out of the door with Katara following behind.

Katara cupped her hands and placed them under her chin, her eyes darted across the lively streets. "Where's is he?"

"I don't know, but I have to get back to my post. You remember where my house is, right?" Fou asked her

"Yea and I gotta thank you again Fou, so much!" Katara hugged him and he easily hugged her back. Zuko watched from the other side of the door and smirked. He pulled his shoe over his foot and stood up.

Fou pointed in the distance toward Zuko, "Isn't that him?" Katara turned her slender back around and nodded, "Yup, unfortunately…he is really boring." The both chuckled

"Well I have the all day shift, so I won't be home tonight, here is 5 silver pieces to buy dinner." Fou handed the money to Katara and she grabbed it out of his hand.

"We sound like a married couple," Katara began to laugh again, Fou smiled, "I have to get back to work…see you later."

Katara smiled, she waved goodbye and he left. She turned around to approach Zuko. Zuko had a smirk on his face.

"You're boyfriend," he quietly said and let a small laugh surpass his lips. Katara lifted her eyebrows, "No he's not! He just my friend." Katara swatted at invisible dust on her robe and pulled back her hair.

"Alright," Zuko easily dismissed the conversation, he tied his robe and began to walk off, and Katara sped up with him.

"Some recovery, huh, not a scratch on you." Katara fiddled with her fingers and pulled out the silver pieces.

Zuko carefully jostled her to the side, cautious not to draw attention, "I saw her," Katara furrowed her eyebrows unsure of why they were in a corner, "Saw who?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Zhy, I talked to her, I went to the spirit world." He slowly moved back onto the busy streets and kept his voice low, "Here, I found this," he pulled the burgundy book from under his shirt. Katara grabbed it.

"I've been looking for this," she skimmed through the pages and again the words on the pages morphed, "Look," she held the book in front of Zuko, Zuko read the message aloud, "Be Wary," he gave a puzzled look.

"I guess we'll just have to be careful," she shrugged her shoulders and handed the silver pieces to Zuko

"Fou gave this to me for food." Katara advanced to a food cart with an old man standing behind it. She felt oddly drawn to the cart. Zuko followed with the money.

"Hello, how are you guys today?" The old man eyed them apprehensively.

"We're just fine, just looking for food." Katara browsed the food selection

Zuko looked at the man, he slightly furrowed his eyebrows in suspicion, the man looked different from everyone else. His hair was jet black, his eyes were amber-brown and his skin was lighter then the peoples here.

He looked firenation, without a uniform.

"I have the perfect treat for the lovely couple." He rummaged through the shelves under the cart table.

"Were not a couple," Zuko quickly told him before the man gave them the food. The old man quickly raised up from under the table, empty handed.

"You are two people, which are a couple. And you are both lovely. A lovely couple." He looked at them as if it was obvious and began rummaging through the shelves again.

Zuko and Katara looked to each other in perplexity. Sensibly he was correct. He came back up with a bottle and a bag.

"Balut and Ginseng tea," the man smiled and his yellow and brown teeth showed through.

Katara tried to cover up her repulsion.

"Thank you, but I've never heard of Balut." Katara grabbed the bottle out of his hands, and left the Balut.

"I insist," Katara pulled only onside of her mouth up, giving a face of distrust. The old man, however, persisted, "I will give you it for free since its you first time," He shoved the bag in Zuko's hands and pushed them away.

They both exchanged surprised looks. Zuko slowly opened the bag, he pulled his head away and had a repulsive look on his face. Katara watched his reaction and peaked inside of the bag. It was duck eggs, four of them to be exact. She nudged at Zuko's shoulder,

"It's just duck eggs, and I've actually always wanted to try them."

Katara took the bag from Zuko's hands and began to walk to Fou's home. Zuko followed.

* * *

"You stayed at his house?" Zuko entered through the rice paper door. Katara ignored his question. Katara set the bottle and bag down on a small Maplewood table, on a tatami floor. She pulled out red pottery plates from the cabinet and placed two on the table she cracked the two eggs and put them on both plates.

Instead of runny yolk and egg whites emerging from the cracks of the eggs a duck embryo fell onto the plates Katara's mouth watered. Zuko looked at the eggs with repugnance.

"Aren't you going to cook them?" Zuko sat on a green pillow at the table and poured the ginseng into a cup.

"They aren't supposed to be cooked." She smiled widely in satisfaction and took a bite of the egg.

Zuko looked at the window. The day was almost out, the sky was cast red and orange as the sun was setting. He looked back down to his plate.

Katara sucked her cheeks, "It's really good you have to try it," she cracked another Balut on her plate and poured some ginseng.

Zuko placed the Balut to his thin pink lips, he shivered at its sliminess. He gradually bit into embryo. He chewed into the egg and perked his lips up at the texture.

Katara smiled, "D'you like it?" Zuko drunk some tea to wash it down and replied, "It is actually, alright," he finished it off.

* * *

Katara and Zuko were sitting by the window watching the sunset. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Katara smiled at Zuko and placed an arm on his shoulder. Zuko just stared up at her, Zhy was right she was beautiful. He looked at her again and studied her round ice blue eyes. And her shape, she was beautiful. The sun slowly went down like a leaf swaying from a tree into the water and the moonlight shown through the window. Katara walked away to a door swaying her hips. It was alluring. Zuko followed like a fly attracted to light.

She stood at a door, it was hand crafted and had flowers and water carved onto it. Zuko stood behind her with his mouth wide open. Katara giggled and Zuko laughed. Katara slowly opened the door.

It was a bedroom. There was a king size bed against the wall with silk green and gold sheets. The comforter was cotton filled and had flowers and earthy things sewn all over it and the bed had poles on all for corners holding a sheer canopy above it. The room was dark.

Katara held Zuko's face and cocked her small caramel head to the side, "You know," she puckered her lips, "The room has candles in it and I'm sure you're the right man to light up a room," she smiled

Zuko entered the room and carefully lit the candles; they were aligned along the bed, in a pattern. Gold candles and behind and in front of them were green swirled candles. Zuko tugged Katara's hips and pulled her into a kiss.

His thin pink lips met her brown caramel lips and it seemed as if the room filled with an aurora of passion. He slipped his tongue in between her lips and she happily returned the favor.

Zuko began to saunter backwards onto the bed and Katara stood between his legs, still fervently kissing him. Zuko broke the kiss and started his way down her neck, chills ran down her frail spine.

Zuko felt something well up inside of him, he felt a force overtake him. It was as if he wasn't in control of his body anymore and all he could do was watch himself. Katara just stood there enthralled by his infatuation.

Zuko proceeded and slowly untied her robe, she wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her slender hands down his pale back. Slowly she pulled his shirt from around him and tossed it to the floor. He pulled her further onto the bed and they lay there ardently captivated under the sheets.

* * *

_-Zuko tossed bare, in between a thin gold sheet-_

"_Zuko, I have something to tell you," Zhy held Zuko's hands and put her head down_

* * *

Katara awoke to a tossing of her stomach. She quickly pounced up and ran to the bathroom. Zuko awoke by the sudden burst of movement. He held his head as he remembered what he did. He sat up on the edge of the bed with his head furrowed in the palm of his pale throbbing hand.

He slowly began pulling on his pants.

Katara walked from the bathroom and stopped at the door way of the room as she saw Zuko awake. Fortunately he didn't look up to see her, she slowly and quietly tip toed around to the kitchen.

She went to clean off the table. She knew they had left quite a mess last night.

She walked into the kitchen and everything was spotless. She furrowed her eyes questioningly until she saw Fou standing by a large bowl scrubbing dishes. Katara walked over to him.

"I'm sorry, I was just coming in here to clean up." Fou looked at her and then back to his dishes.

"It's alright," she could tell by his voice he was tired. His voice was scratchy and low.

"Here gimme," Katara pulled the wool pad from Fou's hands, "You need you rest go get some sleep." Katara pointed her head to the direction of the room.

"You know, I was going to do that when I got in, but some one or should I say some two where sleeping in my bed." Fou gritted his teeth and untied his belt.

"I'm sorry, I mean, we didn't do anything!" Katara quickly turned to meet his glare.

Fou pointed his finger to her attire, "Yeah, but your in his shirt?" Katara's eyes widened in shock, "I must have grabbed the," her voice faded into a low whisper, "wrong clothes on my way to the bathroom,"

There was an uncomfortable silence ringing through the house, "Well, I have today off, I'll be in town." Fou walked out the door slamming it behind him.

Katara felt guilty, Fou really help her through her time of loneliness, and she repays him by sleeping with another man in his bed.

Katara didn't know what happened she lost control. After watching the sunset a feeling blew over her a feeling of desire.

Zuko walked into the kitchen shirtless. The pair stood in silence, unsure of what to say. He didn't even spend more than a week maybe two with Katara and already he made the biggest mistake of his life. Zuko stood there looking at his pastel hands.

His head snapped back up when he remembered he was shirtless, "I just can in here for my shirt,"

Katara nervously laughed, "I grabbed the wrong shirt," she walked back to the room to change.

* * *

Fou walked to an old man behind a cart. The old mans frail voice rang between the carts, "Is it done?" Fou nodded his thin head and smirked, "It is,"

The old man smiled and looked up at the sky, "_He _will be most pleasurable."

_

* * *

_Katara watched Zuko's back he was seated at the kitchen table. She took a deep breath and found the courage to approach him. She swiftly maneuvered toward him vigilant not to make a sound. 

She stood behind him and began to talk, "Zuko…" she inhaled sharply trying to gather what she was going to say, "…don't tell," was all she seemed to muster out. She sounded like a little girl pleading to her older brother not to tell daddy she was the one who brought the seal penguin into the house.

Zuko was quiet and Katara grew troubled, he wouldn't tell, she was sure, would he?

"Zuko," she called his name to coax a response. He was quiet and she knelt by him to see his facial expression. His eyes were closed and his chin was rested on both of his knuckles, he looked serene.

To Katara's surprise he began to speak, "The dream," however, was all he said.

"Huh, what dream?" Katara didn't have any dream last night.

He opened his eyes and his piercing golden eyes stared at her, "You didn't have a dream last night?"

"No, in fact I haven't had a dream, for about a month." Zuko stood from his spot and began to pace the floor with his finger knuckle chiseled in his mouth.

"What was your dream about," she stood by the washing bowl, "Was it about Zhy?"

Zuko shook his head, "Never mind,"

Usually Katara would persist, but everything seemed different after last night.

Zuko opened his hand and looked down at it, "Where's the book?" Katara walked on the wooden floor and it creaked with each step, she went into the bedroom. She quickly returned with the burgundy book in her hands. She stepped over to him and opened the book.

The words began to transform again, and when they were done Zuko read the characters out loud, "Get Out,"

It seemed like as the words escaped through his lips a bright light filled the room and as it faded out they were in another town.

This place was eerie and it left and uneasy feeling on Katara's tongue. The fog was dense. It was impossible to see more than six feet in front of you. The buildings were old and waterlogged. Right ahead of them was a tall building. It looked like an inn. The words Eastward Inn was poorly etched on the side of it. This place seemed to be deserted too.

A slight patter of rain quickly turned into a pour. Then lightning erupted and crackled throughout the sky lighting the entrance for a second and in that split second an old man appeared in front of them.

They both gasped in shock.

"What," he chuckled, "You ain't never see n old geezer like me before?"

* * *

A/n: The italicized part is the dream, ONLY ZUKO had, and it was only PART of it…so yes you are supposed to guess. Did you like this chapter…Ohhh the big unalterable mistake happened, or did it?!!! 


	7. Original Brilliance

In the night there is a sound

Whispering taunting me

In the air there is a whistle,

Shrieking haunting thee

In my dreams there is horror and fear inside

So I lay on my pillow sheltered to hide

-Me

"There is a master bedroom upstairs, we ain't got lot a people here, actually you guys is the only ones." He smiled and his yellow teeth seemed to glow in the dark.

He didn't have good speech. Some of his words were slurred and due to missing teeth there was a hissing wind sound when he pronounced S words. And when he talked he just had a bad vocabulary.

"Lemme show ya'll upstairs to your room, there is a bed a bathroom and the finest aged wine you'll find all throughout these parts." He began to walk up the stairs, and Katara began to follow, but Zuko stayed at the entrance by the old dusty desk.

He cleared his throat and the inn keeper turned around, "Are there any other rooms?" Zuko penitently asked. The inn keeper gave him a quizzical look and leaned over the unstable railing.

"Ya'll two ain't together?" He pointed a finger between Katara and Zuko, and Katara silently shook her round caramel head.

A bright crack of lightening struck through the crisp air outside, it lit the whole Eastward inn like a Christmas tree.

"Well, ya of course we's do, Follow me boy," He continued up the poorly structured steps.

With each step of their foot a shrill creak would inch its way from the staircase to their ears. It sounded like the stairs would give in any moment. Some of the steps dipped in toward the middle of themselves from the weight applied on it. All together it didn't feel secure.

At the top of the steps was a row of rooms, the inn keeper pulled two keys from his key ring and handed one key to each of them, "Rooms 120 and 121, take your picks." They each pulled a key out of his withered outreached hands.

Katara held her key up and placed her lips to her teeth, "Room 121…" she turned around to search for the room, and it was at the end of the short hallway.

Another loud boom of thunder roared through the sky, "It a bad storm…I boarded up the windows bu' I dunno how much good that'll do ya,"

Zuko looked at the key in his hand, Room 120…it was right by Katara's. He was sure it would be a long day.

The sky was dark, the thick grey clouds covered the sun and not an ounce of light showed through. It felt like night with no moon showing through.

"Der is a place next door that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner," The old man began to walk away but hastily turned back around, "I almost forgot, my name is Yi." He waved his hand in a circular motion goodbye and turned his feeble hunchback to leave.

Zuko and Katara just stood in the hallway staring at their keys and Yi's retreating back. They both listened as the old man walked down the stairs, with each step a piercing squeak echoed through the empty old hallways.

As the squeaks and creaks stopped, the pair faced each other. Katara put her silver rusted key by her eyes, "Well, I better check out my room," she smiled nervously and Zuko nodded.

* * *

Katara sat on a chair in her room. The walls were painted white, however they were rotting from time she guessed. The bed had a folded white comforter at the edge on top of the stained white sheets. The stains were yellow, and a rusty brown. They were spotted all over the bed.

She placed her burgundy book on the dust covered desk.

The room didn't look inviting, she felt nauseated. She searched around the room for the bathroom. It was the emaciated oak door by her bed, she opened the door.

The bucket that served as a "waste" basket was filled with brown water. Katara held her thin caramel hand over her mouth. She felt something well up inside of her and she lunged for the water filled bucket. She leaned over it, vomiting, she couldn't even remember the last time she felt this unwell.

When she was finished she held her stomach with both of her slender crossed arms. She coughed repetitively and leaned back over the bucket to vomit again. She held her abdomen and felt a crunch under her touch. She quickly sat up, and pulled the item from her robe.

She examined it, it was a fortune cookie. She thought back in her memory and remembered it was the one Po Chen had given to Zuko, she did not recall holding on to it.

She placed her small fingers on the outside of the wrapper in attempt to open it, but she stopped herself halfway through.

She presumed that she would confer it to Zuko. She thought it would be a good proposal to break the ice between him and her. She knew there was tension between them since that night, but she didn't know why Zuko was _that _distant. He seemed to avoid her at _all _cost.

A strike of lightning sliced through the sky and right behind it was a loud clap of thunder.

Katara quickly stood and walked out the bathroom. Her heart sped up and she breathed heavily to relieve the shock. She placed her hand on her chest and squeezed the fortune cookie in the other. She quickly let go as she heard the crunch of the cookie.

* * *

Zuko heard a faint knock at his door. He disregarded it and continued to meditate with his brawny legs crossed and his bulky hands placed in between them.

The knock persisted and he still ignored it, but with each knock it became harder and harder neglect.

He heard Katara call his name and say a few words. However the words were incoherent to him, every time he even thought about Katara an uneasy feeling cascaded over him. He then heard a squeak of wood and tiny footsteps and he knew she had left.

He waited a couple moments later, and when he was more then sure she was gone, he returned to meditating. Meditating was the only way he could seem to get his mind off of her, however still meditating was often futile.

Lightning brightened the room for a second and Zuko quickly opened his eyes. His stomach began to grumble and he held it to ease its hunger, but it was pointless.

He walked through the dust filled floor to the door and slightly opened it. He checked around the hallway to make sure Katara wasn't there, she was nowhere to be seen so he stepped out of the door and heard a loud crunch under his foot, he jumped back to see what he had stepped on.

There on the ground was a smashed fortune cookie, he suspiciously picked it up. He wasn't sure if Katara left it there or if this was Zhy's doing, or maybe both. He opened the packet and loose cookie pieces poured onto the floor. He dusted the remaining crumbs off of the slip of paper.

It read: Forgive and forget is the key to success.

A smiley face was at the end of the sentence.

Zuko ripped the piece of paper and quickly walked away as the paper pieces slowly and simply floated down to the floor.

He walked down the stairs and with the creaks loud bangs of thunder reverberated through the empty inn. He reached the bottom and saw Yi, he was at a dusty desk in the corner reading a small parchment with a shard of glass to enlarge it. The dust didn't seem to bother the white haired man.

Zuko approached his desk, "You told me there was a place where I could get something to eat, where is it?" Yi looked up at Zuko with his grey, baggy eyes and his Adams apple seemed to strain when he talked, "A course, seems the lady beat ya to it,"

Zuko tried to think of another possibility, "Is there more then one place to eat here?"

Yi shook his head in response, "Nope, just the bar." He headed to open the door waiting for Zuko to follow, Zuko stood still thinking of another option.

He couldn't find any.

"I'm actually not that hungry, I'll probably be down later though," Yi looked at him confusedly, "Alright if that's what ya wants," Yi returned to his desk and began to read the parchment again.

Zuko's stomach moaned and protested to his decision, and Zuko clutched it for relief, "On second thought…" he looked sideways to the floor and opened his palms, "I am kinda hungry."

Yi laughed, "Here, a cloak is all I gots ta shelter yous from the rain," He pulled a dusty black wool cloak from out of his closet and held it to Zuko's face. Zuko coughed and waved away the dust particles.

"I'll be fine without a cloak," he closed his eyes so the filth wouldn't enter in them.

"Alright," Yi looked at Zuko as if to say, "It's your loss,"

"It's next door," he said as he put the cloak back into the closet.

Zuko wondered outside and the pouring rain soaked him instantly. A crack of lightning and thunder sent him jogging into the next-door-tavern. He stepped inside and was amazed at how small it was.

There was no way he was going to avoid Katara here. He looked around the small place and it was just as run down and dirty as all the other places.

If Zuko wasn't so hungry he wouldn't dare eat there. He scanned his eyes over the place some more and Katara was sitting in the corner on a chair talking to an old man with wiry grey hair and thick long eyebrows.

The old man snapped his head up as he heard footsteps. Katara looked up with him, but she quickly averted her gaze to the menu in the palm of her hands when she saw it was Zuko.

"Hello, sir," the old man bowed to Zuko, "Do you mind sharing a table with this sweet girl?" His long wrinkled bony finger pointed to Katara who was growing uneasy, she didn't even know why, it was just Zuko.

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. The old man answered the question that was floating in his head like he had mind reading abilities,

"There are no other seats at the moment, I would offer you a beautiful seat on the outside, but the weather wouldn't agree. And sorry but we don't get another shipment of tables and chairs till we get the money to pay for it," The old man placed a hand on Zuko's back and pushed him toward the table. Once he reached the table he yanked on Zuko's broad shoulders causing him to sit down.

"I'll be back in a few minutes with tea," The old man shuffled across the dusty floor, and into the back of the bar.

Katara sat agitatedly, her small round head was behind a menu. She acted like she was reading the food choices even though her food was on the way.

She placed her hand on the table and began to tap her fingers. Katara then looked to the ceiling, she was unsure of what to say, but she knew he wasn't going to avoid her any longer and she knew that this was her chance.

She pulled the menu away from her face, and carefully placed it on the table.

Katara looked at Zuko, he was sitting faced the opposite way of her. She began to speak,

"Look Zuko," she fidgeted with her fingers a bit, "I don't know what the big deal is!" As the words escaped her lips she started to feel anger because he was taking the escapade so seriously.

Zuko turned around to face her, his expression was unreadable. He inhaled sharply and retorted, "It is a big deal!" He turned his body all the way around to meet the table.

Katara didn't mean to yell and come off too strong, but now he was being ridiculous, "Zuko, we screwed up…it happens! I know what we did was uncalled for, but we have a mystery to solve and so much more other things to do! It was one night," she held her finger in the air and paused for a second, "and we both know it won't happen again,"

"You don't understand! We did so much more than screw up!" Zuko placed both of his hands on the table and it caused their chopsticks to rattle.

Katara's mood drastically changed, "Okay," she sniffled, "I didn't know I was so repulsive to you," Katara's voice was chocked and it sounded like her words were struggling to make it pass her throat.

She violently stood up and rushed to the door of the tavern. Zuko opened his mouth and held his hand lowly in the air, "Katara," she turned around at the call of her name.

"You don't understand," Zuko balled his fist and gritted his teeth, he was holding back what he really wanted to say.

Katara squinted and two tears dropped from her eyes,

"No, I don't understand." She turned her head and her lips tugged down at the corners of her mouth.

She viciously pushed through the worn-down doors, almost taking them off of its hinges.

Zuko stared at the doors as they closed,

"She doesn't understand," he placed his hands on his mouth and let them fall slowly to his sides. He was exhausted, every time he thought about the situation a battle ignited in his head.

"Excuse me?" the old man crept behind Zuko, "Where did the young lady go?"

A strike of lightning lit up the poorly lighted bar.

* * *

"_Zuko, tell her" Zhy looked at his face and it seemed to plea to him _

_Zuko began to breath heavily and his chest moved up and down rapidly, "I…I can't." _

_Zhy looked mad for the first time Zuko could recall, "This wasn't supposed to happen." _

_She shook her head and rubbed her temples _

"_It's her fault." _

"_No, it's both of you guys fault, but even more importantly its __his__ fault, Zuko…__he__ doesn't want you to figure this thing out." _

"_Who is __he__?" _

* * *

Katara lay on her bed and thick rays of sun beamed through the window above her head. She sat up in her bed with her eyes closed and stretched her hands and arms to the air like she was holding up the spirit world. A deep bellowing yawn blew through her mouth.

She opened her eyes and rubbed them, to her surprise the walls looked soft and newly painted. They were nothing like the ones she saw yesterday, they were fully restored. The waterbender rubbed her eyes again to make sure she was really seeing what she thought she saw.

She furrowed her eyebrows in thought and she stepped onto the floor, it was clean.

The floor looked well mopped and swept. Katara cocked her head in confusion, the ordinarily dust covered table was well oiled and the burgundy book was gone.

Katara jumped off of the bed and looked around the table and under the bed for the book, it was nowhere is sight.

She looked at the bed sheets and they were pure white, not a stain anywhere. For a reason she couldn't explain a smile graced her lips. The book suddenly wasn't her concern right now.

She rushed to the bathroom to see the improvement. The bucket was rich silver and had crystal clear water poured in it.

Katara brushed her hair up, and grabbed for her key. It was clean and silver. She opened her door and the sweet smell of tea filled her room instead of the mildew smell from yesterday.

She knocked on Zuko's door, not caring about the conflict yesterday. She banged excitedly at the door with a wide grin on her lips.

From inside Zuko rose from his bed unaware of his surroundings. He opened the door and saw Katara grinning broadly at him, he raised one eyebrow.

"Yi must have done a clean sweep last night! Everything is so…fresh!" Katara's giddiness was odder then usual.

Zuko studied his surroundings everything was restored to its original beauty. "He must have done more then cleaning," Zuko mumbled to himself as he pulled his shirt over his head.

He rushed out of the door and Katara followed him down the glowing hallway. They trotted down the steps which didn't make the tiniest squeal when their feet made contact.

Zuko looked to the clean oiled desk in the corner of the lodge. A young man with jet black hair was sitting in the seat behind the desk reading a piece of paper with a well- rounded piece of glass to magnify the words.

The pair approached him and placed a hand on the desk getting the mans attention,

"Um, excuse me, do you know where Yi is?" Katara's voice rang through the air and the man looked at them.

"Why," he asked as he placed the glass on his desk.

Zuko began to grow impatient, "The man runs this place, and we need to speak to him,"

The mans eyes darted for Katara to Zuko and there was silence, he began to laugh.

"Yi!" the man called from over his shoulder.

A scrawny little boy ran from a door in the lobby, with a small toy in his hand, and faced the man, "Yes father?"

The man looked back to Katara and Zuko, "Yi, is my son, and until I die I run this place," he laughed again and smiled ear to ear.

Katara and Zuko looked at him crazily, "But last night…Yi was running this hotel," Zuko nodded in agreement.

The man stood up, and his chingy eyes tilted, "My name is, Yuan," he shook Zuko's pale hand, "How about you take a trip next door and order some calm soothing tea," he began to lead them out the newly painted doors, "I think you two had too much wine last night."

Yuan shoved them out the door, and quickly closed it when they were out. Katara and Zuko stood looking dumbfounded staring at the closed doors.

"Excuse me," an old woman maneuvered pass them and opened the Eastward Inn doors.

Katara glanced toward Zuko, "Since when did other people move here?"

Zuko shrugged his shoulders and they both slowly turned around.

In front of them was a busy street, and newly restored buildings. Everything was back to its original brilliance. It was a very beautiful place when it wasn't so run down, and deserted.

"Wow," was all Katara could pronounce out of her mouth.

* * *

Zuko and Katara wondered around the busy city streets, they were amazed.

Zuko looked toward Katara, "Don't you think restoring a whole city by two men is a little far fetched?"

Katara looked to him, she was kinda startled that Zuko was paying her mind she replied,

"That's the only logical explanation…" her eyes wondered back onto the street.

Zuko maneuvered to the side to move out of the way of an ongoing cart, "Nothing here is logical," he whispered as the pair attracted attention.

Everyone they passed seemed to be staring at them. Katara moved closer to Zuko unintentionally. Zuko tensed and slightly scooted away.

Katara noticed but tried to ignore it, "Every one is staring," she covered her small mouth and her whole body seemed to jerk forward.

Zuko eyed her suspiciously

"I think I'm…" she jerked forward again, "Sick," she ran past the ogling people into the nearest building. Zuko tagged along after her.

Inside there was a woman by the door, she smiled and began to talk,

"Welcome to the Eastward Orphanage," she waved vigorously. Zuko slightly waved back.

Katara held her stomach, and shoved past the smiling woman into the door labeled 'Bathroom.'

The woman smiled and spoke through her smiling teeth, "Is she alright?" she turned her head to the bathroom door that was still waving in and out from the force Katara used.

Zuko wanted to scream no, he wanted to scream I'm not okay either, he wanted to leave this deserted place and he wanted to go home.

Zuko simply nodded, "Yeah, just some bad noodles, I guess," he tried his best to keep his composure.

"Oh," the woman continued to beam, "I haven't ever seen a couple like you guys,"


	8. Shut Up

_**Shut Up **_

**Blind are not really blind unless they choose to be and we can be just as blind if we choose to be**

"Toph?" Aang shrewdly called as he reached over into a cart to pick up a plump red apple.

"Yeah?" Toph continued to examine the fruits on the stands.

"Do you think Katara is thinking about me?"

Toph seemed to laugh at the random comment, "Well," she giggled, "I guess…"

"I'm serious, Toph cant you be serious for once?" Aang took a bite out of the apple and tossed a copper coin to the old man.

Toph smirked and let her arms down from the cart passively, "Alright, I'm sure she is thinking about you every waking moment. Every time she eats, breath, sleeps, blinks… I'm sure!" Toph sarcastically stated as she drew her words out of her mouth as if she was taunting him. She maybe even hinted jealousy,

"Wow, I didn't think she thought about me that much!" Aang quickly brightened and trotted to a clothing rack.

Toph sighed, "…sarcasm…" she mumbled under her breath and slightly shook her head

Aang walked to another store with Toph close behind him, "So…when do'ya think she's gonna be back?"

"When she solves the mystery…just a guess," Toph rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders

Aang placed a small finger to his lip, "That does make sense doesn't it…"

Toph couldn't help but smile, "Yeah,"

The pair walked in silence looking at the items for sale on the market.

Aang was the first to speak, "Uhm, Toph… Katara usually helps me clean my staff…" Aang nervously rubbed his bald head.

"Oh really…interesting," Toph said trying to sound serious

"I was uh, just wondering if, you'd wanna help me instead?"

Toph started past Aang, "I'm blind remember?" she blinked her white round eyes.

"Oh yeah…" Aang slowed his paste to walk by her side, he thought for a second longer,

"You could watch,"

"I'm blind _remember_," Toph raised her voice a little, she was obviously annoyed.

"Oh, yeah…" he fell behind a bit and Toph continued at her normal paste. He thought quickly then rushed to catch back up

Before Aang could speak, Toph held up a finger, "Look, if you want I'll _come _with you to clean your staff…and maybe, I'll help you."

Aang sighed with relief, "Thanks, that thing can get pretty dirty," he chuckled

* * *

"Toph can you pass me that bucket of water?" Toph pulled the heavy bucket of water over to Aang and grabbed a rag and began to wipe the staff.

Toph breathed heavily, "This is boring, twinkle toes."

"Cleaning is never fun." Aang sighed as he continued to scrub dirt and bugs from his staff.

"They why do it?" Toph quickly snatched the staff up and tossed it to the side

"My staff!" Aang started to lunge for it until Toph stood in front of him with her hand out.

"How bout a earthbending match!"

Aang thought for a second with his finger to his lip, "Sounds like fun."

* * *

Toph pulled her arms close to her chest and pushed forward and a large rock erupted from the ground, she twisted her hands and the rock started to sharpen and twirl toward Aang. Aang dodged it easily. He the raised his tattooed hands into the air and the ground on which Toph stood raised. Toph used it for her advantage. She began to lash her arms out and disk of earth shot from beneath her as the "earth tower" on which she stood diminished. Aang used airbending to glide through each disk.

"No Airbending! Its not fair." Toph struck the ground and the ground split in two. Aang carelessly landed in between.

"Ugh!" he struggled to get out. He then placed both arms in both sides of the ground and pushed it apart. As he began to fall through the earth he pulled a chunk of earth out of the makeshift wall and resurfaced.

"No Airbending here." He smirked; he then began to pull small shoots out of the dirt under Toph. The earth began to shift as the dirt shoots made her stumble. Aang took the chance and pulled a piece of earth from behind her causing her to fly forward.

Toph flew into Aang with force causing them both to hit the ground. Toph lifted her head out of Aangs chest. She hadn't ever felt herself in this position, but in an odd sense she liked it.

She found herself unable to move for a few moments. Aang wasn't sure what to do. He wondered if she even knew she was on top of him.

"Toph, I beat you." Aang quietly said as the remained under Toph.

"Really? You're the one under _me_." Toph stated triumphantly, Aang blushed. He thanked Agni Toph was blind.

As Toph said these words she really realized what was happening. She jumped up and brushed herself off. Aang jumped of the ground equally as surprised. _She knew she was on top of me? _Aang thought hard

Aang cleared his throat, "You wanna finish helping me clean my staff?" he nervously asked with a pale hand on the back of his bald head.

"Sure."

They sat down on the sand and slowly wiped the staff off. "Uhm," Aang tried to start conversation, "Good match."

"Yea, you were pretty good, you almost had me."

"If you didn't fall on top of me I would have remained standing and I would have won!" Aang grinned broadly.

Toph's cheeks turned rosy red as she thought about the matches ending again.

Aang furrowed his eyebrows and stared at Toph, then his stern face slowly started to smile, "Toph you're blushing."

Toph began to stutter, "no…no..I'm-" Aang leaned in and pecked her on the lips and just as fast pulled away.

Toph touched her lips ands stopped talking.

Aang raised his eyebrows, "I'm sorry I just-" Toph pounced on him toppling him to the ground and began to kiss him lightly…as best as she could.

"You really need to know when to shut up." Toph smiled at Aang who simply…_shut up. _

* * *

_A/N: Finally for all you Taang lovers! There is some Taang for you!_


	9. Fabrics of Time

**TELL _ME _SOMETHING?**

* * *

"What do you mean?" Zuko furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his masculine arms.

The lady smiled, "Only time we ever see water tribe people here is when we are importing goods, and too see one wondering the street with one of our own is astounding," she looked back as Katara walked out of the bathroom. She grinned at her and looked back to Zuko.

Katara walked back from the bathroom and met up with Zuko and the woman. "Hello, ma'm, I was just telling your fiancée how remarkable it was that," she wasn't able to finish the sentence.

Zuko quickly intervened, "Were not a couple," he tried his best not to make a big deal of it.

The woman continued to smile, it reminded him ridiculously of Zhy, "I'm sorry I saw the betrothal necklace and assumed…" she didn't get to finish that statement either

Katara held her hand up and let if fall slowly to her side, "Its alright it would throw me, too," Katara smiled sweetly to the woman and gripped her betrothal necklace.

The trio stood in silence until the woman spoke up, "My name is Shi Lynn, and I am a caretaker at this orphanage." She held out her hand to shake.

"Wait, this is an orphanage?" Katara asked as she noticed the frolicking children, she couldn't believe she missed them earlier.

"Why of course it is…are you here to foster or possible take one of them?" Shi Lynn's eyes widened as if to beg them to take one of them.

Zuko shook his head and Katara spoke up, "No, we just came in here for a bathroom,"

Shi Lynn's face fell, "The children keep flooding in, and we actually got a new girl yesterday. She is a quiet one." She pointed to a girl sitting all alone reading a book.

Katara evaded the woman and walked to the isolated girl. She felt drawn to her, like she was calling her name.

"Katara, we have to go…nothings adding up." Zuko began to follow her to prod her to leave. She ignored him and knelt by the little girl.

Zuko quickly walked behind her, "Come on. Let's go." Katara looked at him and back to the girl.

"It's her," Katara looked up to Zuko and he gave her a perplexed look. He looked at the girl and watched as Katara stroked her long charcoal hair.

He gazed into her green eyes and studied her tan skin, "Zhy?"

* * *

They entered the Eastward hotel and quickly began to make their way up the stairs. Yuan jumped up to stop them.

"Excuse me, do you have a room here?"

Katara nodded her head, "Of Course we do…"

"What are you names?"

Zuko stepped over to the desk, "I'm Zuko and this is Katara, we had two separate rooms 120 and 121." There was concern remnant in his voice.

Yuan scanned through a small stack of papers, "I don't see your names," the black haired man stared at them in contempt.

"No really," Katara placed her hand on her forehead, "I have the key!" Katara rummaged through her pockets and dug through coins. She furrowed her eyebrows and pulled out the money. There was 20 golden pieces and she eyed them quizzically. She didn't have money before.

She placed the coins in one had and continued to dig in her pocket for the key, they were empty.

She brushed her smooth hands against her hair and breathed out in disbelief, "No, I had the key in my pocket,"

"Yeah, right," Yuan couldn't keep his eyes off of the money in her hand.

Zuko began to dig in his pocket and also pulled out 20 gold pieces. There was no key in his pockets either.

Yuan quickly got up and gaped at the coins in their hands, "The rooms 120 and 121 are occupied, but I can give you our only vacant room, it is the only room no one was able to afford." Yuan grabbed for the money in their hands.

They unwillingly handed it to him. Yuan took and key off of the key ring and led them up the stairs.

They continued from the first floor to the second to the third, and the only room on that floor was labeled Room 200. Yuan handed the key to Zuko.

"Enjoy your stay very, very much. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are free with this purchase of the room. And I think you will be most satisfied," The young man turned to leave.

"Hold on," Katara called to the retreating man, "Who is in rooms 120 and 121?"

Yuan swayed his hand back and forth, "That is classified information, my dear." Yuan turned to leave.

Katara felt a pull on the corners of her pockets and she dug in them to see what it was,

"How much?" she pulled 5 gold coins from her pocket

Yuan swiftly turned around as he heard the jingle of coins, "How much you got?"

Katara placed 5 gold coins into Yuan's palms, he began to speak, "121, there is a firenation woman…her name is Kurita and in 120 there is a woman named…uhh…Shale, that's right."

Yuan began to walk down the steps and back by his desk. The moon was high in the sky and the formally busy town streets were calming down as people were retreating to their homes for the night.

Zuko looked at the key in his hand, he placed it in the keyhole on the door and slowly opened it.

Inside, the walls were a rich golden color and candles were spread around the room like lace. The bed was king size and the bedspread was red with velvet outline. There was blue ribbon sewn into the edges of the sheets.

The podium at the end of the bed was a lush dark green. Katara guessed the variety of colors was to show unity of the four nations.

The night stand was a burnt yellow, and a maple brown, Zuko supposed that was to represent the air nomads.

In a clear bucket full of ice was a bottle of cherry wine. It was on a maple table with a vanity mirror against the wall.

Katara examined the room, "You really do get more bang for your buck," she walked over to the bottle on the vanity mirror's desk. There were two wine glasses placed on both ends of the table.

* * *

Yi placed the key in the lock and the door squeaked open. "There ya'll is!"

Zuko and Katara opened their eyes, and a boom of thunder clapped through the room.

They were spooning…Zuko and Katara both jumped out of bed. A banging headache rang through both of their heads and they both clutched it for ease.

Lightening lit up the dark room, and Katara and Zuko observed the room.

The bedspread was worn and dirty. Zuko looked around and the walls were rotting, and the gold paint was falling to the dusty, infested floor.

The vanity mirror, Katara observed, was shattered and shards of glass were on the table below.

"What?" Katara held her head and looked at the inn keeper, "Yi?"

"A course, child, who else would it be…Any ways how'd ya'll get in here? The door was bolted shut."

"Well, yesterday everything was-" Katara started, but Zuko quickly cut her off, "Did you inherit this inn?"

Yi looked at him quizzically, "Ya, I did,"

"Was your father's name Yuan?" Zuko persisted

"Ya, how'd you know?" Yi asked, he looked amused at the conversation. Yi was starting to think Zuko was a mind reader.

"Because, yesterday we-" Zuko cut Katara off again, "Come on, Katara we need to check something out,"

He pulled on Katara's sleeve leading her out of the door, Katara clutched her head. Zuko trotted down the stairs and the squeaks echoed through the inn. Katara grabbed her head tightly and slowly made her way down the stair case.

"I," she sucked air between her teeth from the pain of her head, ", was trying to figure out why…" she bended water out of her pouch and touched it to her forehead, "We seemingly, transported somewhere else for one day and came back. Maybe Yi has some information"

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Maybe we should keep this to ourselves, It seems to me like you like being refered to as Crazy, but I don't,"

"You do have a point, but this is weird, one day this place is deserted and the next its thriving with folks," She bended the water back into her pouch she felt a lot better

"Shale, was in room 121, my old room, but I don't think she's there now,"

Zuko stared of into space, "Zhy, we saw Zhy. Then Yi was the son of Yuan, who said Yi would inherit the inn…Do you think…" he shook his head softly, "No that can't be it,"

"What?" Katara neared him careful of her proximity

"It's a preposterous idea," Zuko smirked at it

"Everything here seems ridiculous and out of proportion," she lifted her hands and tried her best to prod him into submission

"Well, uh," he seemed hesitant, "Do you think… we could have… traveled back in time?"

Katara laughed aloud and placed a hand on Zuko shoulder, he pulled away. Katara's smile dissipated.

"If someone told me I was going to travel about two months ago I would laugh, but it makes sense."

"I hope we go back to find more answers," Zuko said quietly to himself

A feeling went through Katara's body, it was a need, "I'm hungry," Katara stated as she held her stomach

* * *

A loud boom of thunder rang through the small empty tavern.

Katara and Zuko sat down at the long table stools.

Zuko had been done eating for some time now, but Katara continually stuffed herself.

The old waiter walked over to her, "Don't eat too fast," he shook his head, "I don't see how one person can eat all of that,"

Katara grinned, "Can I have another order of tea and pickles,"

The waiter looked at her suspiciously, "If that's what you really want,"

"Actually…I want some whip cream on top if it's not to much trouble," Katara's eyes were bright as she stuffed another bunch of strawberry noodles into her mouth

"It's no trouble, it's just an _interesting _food choice, ma'm,"

The waterbender grinned shamefacedly, "I am eating more than normal,"

The waiter walked to the back of the old raggedy tavern to retrieve the order.

Zuko sat uneasily beside Katara, he had something on his mind. He watched Katara as she gulped down the last bit of strawberry noodles.

He knew he needed to tell her what Zhy had told him to, it was just so hard to say…

He slowly started to speak, "Katara, I have something to tell you…" Zuko let his eyes wonder off, and he fiddled with his thumbs.

He was nervous

Katara held her hand to her mouth, "Sorry, but its going to have to wait!" the waterbender ran to find a place to heave.

* * *

Katara returned from the bathroom and at her table was a cup of tea with pickles and complementary whip cream, just like she had asked.

"Darn it, I should have asked for a bit of cowbear meat with this,"

Zuko eyed her suspiciously, he had never even heard of a cowbear.

Before Katara indulged herself into her unique dish she faced Zuko, "What did you have to tell me?"

Zuko looked at her cup of tea and back to Katara's eager eyes and back to the tea again,

"Nothing…forget it," He stood up from the table

Katara looked at him with now annoyed eyes, "Are you going to start avoiding me again?"

Zuko ashamedly walked to the tavern doors. Katara jumped up and ran to the doors blocking Zuko's path.

"I thought we were passed that," she held up her finger, "One night, one mistake, one time, we learn to forgive and forget" she was perceptibly angry

Zuko shook his head, "Yes, one night, one mistake, and it was one time, but everybody can't forgive and forget as you can,"

Katara's mood drastically changed, "Zuko," she looked down to the floor, "I depend on you so much now. You can't just walk out on me,"

He shook his head, "I need to think," he shoved past Katara and opened the doors and pouring rain fell onto him as he stepped out of the door.

"Zuko!" Katara was quickly angry again, had he not heard anything she had just said?

"We messed up so much," was all he said before he stepped onto the flooded streets.

The door closed in Katara's caramel face.

Katara turned around and let her back fall back onto the doors, she slowly sunk to the ground in a heap.

"Is there a problem?!" the old man quickly shuffled across the dusty floor to Katara's aid

"No,"

"Is there anything I can get you?"

"A remedy for being emotionally unstable would be nice…"

The old man smiled and placed a hand on her back, "You remind me of my wife when she was bearing my son, her moods would change from happy to sad," he snapped his fingers, "like that, not to mention she ate a lot,"

"I just don't know why I even care that he wants to ignore me!" Katara threw her hands in the air and her hands fell back down onto her forehead.

His voice was soothing and sympathetic as he spoke, "When you are around someone long enough you start to care,"

Katara looked at the old man, "I've only known him for a few months, and we've been enemies before then…"

"You know, me and my wife didn't get along very well during school…in fact we hated each other…but one night when I was older I realized how much she really had to offer,"

Katara looked at him questioningly, "I don't say he is my enemy anymore, but I hate him for leaving me feeling isolated in this deserted city,"

"I'm here aren't I?"

Katara smiled, "Yea," her iced blue eyes looked over the floor, "Yeah, you are,"

The old man stood up from his crouching position and pulled Katara up with him, "Your pickled tea is getting cold,"

Katara looked at the old man leading her to the long bar table, "Thanks," was all she said as she sat on a poorly wiped wooden chair.

"Thanks, for what?" he questioned

"For making me feel better…"

"That's what any man of my years would do, do you mind if I join you for tea?"

Katara smiled at the old mans kindness, "Of course not,"

* * *

A/N: Srry for the wait hope it wasnt too long and hope you enjoyed it ;)


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